Under 10% of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it publishes its first guidance on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to broad access to the injections that can help people shift considerable body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The advice urges governments and firms to widen access, by approaches such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence points to users may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the treatment, as their normal appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for experiencing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in all nations and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
