Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it issues its first guidance on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and lifelong care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key barriers to widespread access to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic outlook, the production of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to increase availability, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so individuals eat less.
Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates patients may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the medication, when their normal appetite return.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk for experiencing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
