Under one in 10 individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its first recommendations on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
According to projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and continuous care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through approaches such as licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so users eat less.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies indicates users may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the medication, because their typical food cravings return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for developing health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
