Fewer than a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it publishes its initial guidance on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to universal access to the injections that can help people shift significant body mass, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the present most favorable outlook, the production of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to expand availability, by approaches such as patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
People commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests people may see weight return a year later of stopping the treatment, as their usual hunger return.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk for contracting medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in every country and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
