Less than a tenth of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural guidance on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and continuous care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major barriers to widespread access to the injections that can help people shift substantial weight, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the current best projected case, the production of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice urges governments and firms to widen availability, by measures including licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates people may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the medication, as their typical appetite resume.
Being above a healthy weight increases your risk for developing diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.