Under 10% of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the present most optimistic outlook, the production of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The advice encourages countries and companies to widen access, by measures including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
The injections replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people eat less.
Patients typically see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to patients may see weight return after a year of halting the drug, because their usual food cravings come back.
To be overweight or obese elevates your chance for experiencing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
