Less than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its first recommendations on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to broad access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the current best projected scenario, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to widen access, through approaches like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
The injections mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance satiety so people eat less.
Individuals usually see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the treatment, when their normal food cravings return.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
