Under one in 10 individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it publishes its inaugural advice on the therapies.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the current most optimistic outlook, the supply of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The advice calls on countries and companies to expand access, via measures including voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the medication, when their normal hunger resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
