Fewer than a tenth of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present most favorable scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to widen availability, by measures like patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users eat less.
People typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to patients may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the medication, when their usual hunger resume.
To be overweight or obese elevates your chance for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
