Less than 10% of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to widespread availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present most favorable case, the production of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via approaches like patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Operate
These medications replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so individuals eat less.
People usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their normal hunger come back.
To be overweight or obese raises your likelihood for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
