Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it issues its first recommendations on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is urging increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and continuous care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to widespread access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the production of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through approaches including licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so users eat less.
People usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research points to patients may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the drug, when their typical food cravings come back.
To be carrying excess weight increases your chance for developing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
