Under one in 10 individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its first recommendations on the drugs.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and ongoing treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to increase availability, via approaches like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so users consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the treatment, when their usual food cravings come back.
To be overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
