Under a tenth of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
With over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
Per forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and continuous support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to widespread availability to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the current best projected case, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to widen availability, by approaches including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so users eat less.
Individuals typically start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research indicates users may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the drug, because their normal appetite come back.
To be carrying excess weight raises your chance for contracting diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
