Fewer than a tenth of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and ongoing support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the current best projected scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice encourages countries and companies to widen access, by strategies like licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Patients commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research suggests patients may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the drug, because their typical hunger come back.
To be overweight or obese raises your likelihood for developing diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
