Under 10% of patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it releases its first recommendations on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to widen availability, via approaches like licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the main component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Function
These medications imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the treatment, when their typical food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
