Fewer than a tenth of individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it issues its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, over two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and continuous support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to increase availability, via measures such as patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
The injections mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
People typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the medication, because their usual food cravings come back.
To be overweight or obese increases your risk for developing diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
