Less than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its first recommendations on the therapies.
With more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to projections, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to widespread availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present most favorable scenario, the production of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to increase access, through measures such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so people reduce food intake.
Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research suggests people may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the drug, because their normal hunger resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
