Under a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its inaugural advice on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to universal access to the injections that can help people shift considerable body mass, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the present best projected case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The advice encourages governments and firms to expand availability, by strategies such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections mimick a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Individuals typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies indicates users may see weight return within a year of stopping the treatment, when their typical food cravings come back.
To be above a healthy weight increases your risk for developing health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
