Fewer than a tenth of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its initial recommendations on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the current best projected outlook, the supply of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to widen access, by approaches including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies points to patients may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the medication, because their typical hunger resume.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for developing diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
