Fewer than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and ongoing support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to widen access, via strategies including voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase satiety so people eat less.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research indicates people may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the drug, when their normal hunger return.
Being overweight or obese increases your chance for experiencing health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
