Less than a tenth of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its first recommendations on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and continuous treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to universal access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the present most favorable case, the production of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to increase availability, by approaches like patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
These medications mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
People typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the drug, when their usual hunger come back.
To be overweight or obese increases your chance for experiencing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
