Under 10% of individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it issues its initial guidance on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and ongoing support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current best projected scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The advice encourages countries and companies to increase access, via strategies including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users eat less.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to patients may see weight return after a year of stopping the drug, when their usual food cravings resume.
To be carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
