Fewer than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it issues its initial guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to widespread availability to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to expand access, through measures including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests patients may see weight return after a year of stopping the treatment, as their usual hunger resume.
To be overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
