Fewer than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the medications.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and lifelong support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the present most optimistic case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to increase access, by measures such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people eat less.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may regain a significant portion a year later of halting the treatment, because their typical food cravings come back.
Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for developing diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
