Under one in 10 individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it publishes its first advice on the drugs.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the current most favorable case, the supply of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to widen availability, through measures like licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Work
These medications mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates people may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the medication, because their typical appetite resume.
Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for developing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
