Fewer than 10% of people who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it releases its first advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and continuous care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to widespread availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the present best projected scenario, the production of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to widen availability, via approaches like patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
These medications imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates patients may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their usual hunger come back.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your chance for experiencing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
