Fewer than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it issues its first advice on the medications.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and ongoing support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to broad availability to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The advice calls on countries and companies to expand availability, through approaches like patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies indicates patients may see weight return a year later of stopping the medication, when their typical food cravings come back.
Being above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for developing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
