Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it publishes its initial guidance on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and continuous treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to broad availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the current most optimistic case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to increase access, through approaches like patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
These medications imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost satiety so people reduce food intake.
Patients typically start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates users may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the drug, when their typical hunger resume.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for contracting health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
