Under one in 10 individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it releases its first advice on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and continuous support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to broad access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, explains the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via measures such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence points to patients may see weight return after a year of stopping the treatment, as their usual appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
