Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it publishes its initial recommendations on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key barriers to widespread availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable case, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, by measures such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests users may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their usual appetite return.
Being above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for experiencing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
