Under a tenth of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and ongoing support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to universal access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the current best projected case, the supply of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to widen availability, through measures such as patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Function
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
People usually start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research points to users may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the treatment, because their usual food cravings return.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for experiencing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
