Under one in 10 individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its first advice on the drugs.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to universal access to the jabs that can help people shift considerable weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through approaches including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so users eat less.
People commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies points to people may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the drug, because their normal food cravings come back.
To be carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for developing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
