Fewer than a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it publishes its initial guidance on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and ongoing care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable case, the supply of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The advice encourages governments and firms to widen access, via measures like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase satiety so users eat less.
Patients commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the drug, as their typical hunger come back.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for experiencing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
