Less than 10% of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic case, the production of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand access, by strategies including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.
Individuals typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research points to users may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the treatment, when their normal hunger return.
To be overweight or obese raises your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
