Fewer than a tenth of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it issues its first recommendations on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and continuous support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to broad access to the injections that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current best projected outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to increase access, by measures like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so users eat less.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the medication, because their normal appetite resume.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for developing diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
