Fewer than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it issues its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and lifelong care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through strategies like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
These medications imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase satiety so individuals eat less.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests people may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the drug, when their normal hunger return.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for experiencing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
