Under a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its first guidance on the medications.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and continuous treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key barriers to widespread access to the injections that can help people shift significant body mass, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic case, the supply of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to expand access, via approaches like patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.
People usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies points to people may see weight return after a year of halting the medication, as their typical appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your risk for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
