Fewer than a tenth of individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural advice on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and continuous treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to widespread availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the present best projected scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice urges governments and firms to increase availability, via measures including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
These medications imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research indicates users may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the treatment, when their normal appetite come back.
To be carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for experiencing health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
