Less than 10% of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its inaugural guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to increase availability, via strategies such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance satiety so users consume fewer calories.
Patients usually start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests patients may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the medication, when their typical food cravings resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for developing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
