Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its first advice on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is urging increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and continuous treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, by approaches including licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of a leading brand – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence suggests users may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the medication, as their typical hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
