Under 10% of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to universal availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present best projected case, the production of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to expand access, by strategies such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
People typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates patients may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the medication, when their typical hunger return.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
