Fewer than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it publishes its initial advice on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, over two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and lifelong care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to widespread access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to widen availability, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications mimick a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests patients may see weight return within a year of stopping the treatment, because their normal food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
