Fewer than a tenth of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it issues its inaugural advice on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the current most optimistic case, the production of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to widen availability, through measures such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
These medications mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence suggests users may regain a significant portion a year later of halting the drug, as their usual hunger return.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your chance for developing health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
