Under one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it publishes its first advice on the therapies.
Given more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to broad availability to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present most optimistic case, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by strategies including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to people may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the drug, because their typical hunger come back.
To be overweight or obese elevates your chance for contracting health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
