Fewer than a tenth of people who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, over two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to universal access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the present most favorable case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The advice encourages governments and firms to increase availability, via approaches like licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Patients typically see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies indicates patients may see weight return within a year of stopping the treatment, as their usual food cravings come back.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
