Under a tenth of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural advice on the drugs.
With over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and lifelong support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to universal access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the current best projected case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to increase access, by strategies including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users eat less.
People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research indicates users may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the drug, when their typical food cravings return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for contracting health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
