Fewer than 10% of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it issues its first recommendations on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to broad availability to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the present most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to expand access, through approaches such as patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
These medications replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the treatment, when their usual food cravings resume.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
