Under 10% of people that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
With more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and continuous care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current best projected scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by strategies such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so users eat less.
People commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the drug, because their typical appetite return.
To be overweight or obese raises your risk for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
