Fewer than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its inaugural advice on the medications.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and ongoing care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the present best projected case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to expand access, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates patients may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the treatment, as their normal hunger come back.
To be carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for experiencing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
