Less than 10% of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its first recommendations on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and lifelong treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current best projected case, the production of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The advice urges governments and firms to widen access, by strategies like licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Work
The injections replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies indicates people may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the medication, as their normal food cravings return.
Being above a healthy weight increases your risk for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.