Under one in 10 people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it releases its inaugural guidance on the medications.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major barriers to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to widen availability, through approaches like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Individuals usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research suggests users may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the treatment, when their typical food cravings return.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your chance for experiencing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in all nations and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
