Fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and continuous treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to universal availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present most optimistic case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to increase access, via measures like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
The injections replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so people eat less.
People commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates people may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the drug, because their normal hunger return.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your risk for developing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
