Less than 10% of people that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to broad availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The advice encourages countries and companies to expand availability, via approaches like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests people may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the drug, when their usual appetite come back.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
