Less than 10% of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it releases its inaugural advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current most optimistic case, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, by approaches like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Patients typically see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence points to users may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the medication, when their normal food cravings return.
Being overweight or obese increases your chance for developing medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
