Fewer than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its first guidance on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and ongoing treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to universal availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present best projected outlook, the production of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to increase availability, via strategies such as licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
Patients usually start to lose weight after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests patients may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the drug, because their normal hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
