Under a tenth of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it releases its inaugural advice on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable outlook, the production of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on governments and firms to widen access, via measures such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Operate
The injections mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the drug, because their normal appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese increases your chance for experiencing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
