Less than one in 10 people who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it issues its first guidance on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present most favorable outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to widen access, via approaches such as patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
The injections replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research points to users may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the medication, as their typical appetite return.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your risk for experiencing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
