Fewer than one in 10 patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift considerable weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected scenario, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via strategies such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so people eat less.
People usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to patients may see weight return a year later of stopping the medication, because their typical food cravings come back.
To be overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
