Less than 10% of people that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it publishes its first advice on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and ongoing treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the current most optimistic case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand access, through strategies including voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies points to patients may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the medication, as their normal hunger come back.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your risk for contracting health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
