Under a tenth of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to widespread availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the current most optimistic case, the supply of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The advice encourages countries and companies to expand availability, through strategies such as patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
People usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may see weight return after a year of halting the drug, as their typical hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your chance for contracting medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
