Fewer than one in 10 patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it issues its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and ongoing support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the current most favorable case, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to expand availability, by strategies like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Work
The injections imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence indicates patients may see weight return a year later of stopping the medication, when their usual food cravings return.
To be overweight or obese elevates your risk for developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
