WHO Issues Warning Over Critical Lack of Weight-Loss Medications

Fewer than 10% of people that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it issues its initial advice on the medications.

Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.

Per projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.

"Our latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and continuous support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, explains the organization.

GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity

Even under the present most optimistic case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.

The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through approaches like voluntary licensing.

Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Injections Work

These medications imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.

Patients usually see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.

Evidence suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, as their normal food cravings return.

Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for developing health problems, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.

Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.