Under 10% of people that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and lifelong support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to universal access to the injections that can help people shift significant body mass, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to expand availability, through measures such as patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
The injections imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
People typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the treatment, because their normal hunger resume.
To be overweight or obese raises your likelihood for experiencing diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
