Less than a tenth of individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it issues its first guidance on the medications.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and continuous support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to expand access, via approaches such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
The injections mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies indicates patients may see weight return after a year of halting the medication, because their typical hunger come back.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your chance for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
