Fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it releases its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic outlook, the production of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to expand availability, through strategies like patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence suggests users may see weight return a year later of stopping the treatment, as their normal appetite resume.
To be above a healthy weight increases your risk for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
