Fewer than a tenth of people who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it issues its initial recommendations on the medications.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to universal availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic case, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through measures like voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Function
The injections mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies points to patients may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the drug, because their typical hunger resume.
Being above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
