Fewer than 10% of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
With more than one billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and lifelong treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the current best projected outlook, the production of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The advice encourages countries and companies to widen availability, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so users eat less.
Individuals usually start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research indicates users may put most of the weight back on a year later of halting the treatment, as their normal appetite come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your risk for developing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
