Fewer than one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it publishes its first guidance on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable scenario, the supply of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to increase availability, via strategies including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
These medications replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research suggests users may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their normal food cravings come back.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
