Fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it issues its first recommendations on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and ongoing support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to increase availability, through approaches like patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so people reduce food intake.
People commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Research points to patients may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the medication, because their usual appetite resume.
Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for contracting medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
