Under a tenth of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its first guidance on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to universal access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to increase access, through measures like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Individuals typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research indicates people may see weight return a year later of stopping the treatment, because their normal food cravings return.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
