Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it releases its first recommendations on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and ongoing care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to broad availability to the injections that can help people shift significant body mass, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to increase availability, via strategies like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
People usually start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests patients may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the treatment, because their typical hunger resume.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your risk for contracting medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
