Under one in 10 patients who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its first guidance on the medications.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the current best projected case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, by approaches including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the drug, as their usual food cravings come back.
Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
