Fewer than 10% of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it releases its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to increase availability, through approaches such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
People typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, when their typical hunger return.
To be carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
