Less than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it releases its inaugural advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, over two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and lifelong support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the current best projected scenario, the production of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to expand availability, through measures including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so users consume fewer calories.
People typically start to lose weight after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research points to users may see weight return within a year of halting the drug, when their usual appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for developing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
