Fewer than a tenth of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its first guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to broad access to the jabs that can help people shift significant weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to increase availability, by strategies such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Operate
The injections imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost satiety so users reduce food intake.
People commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests users may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the drug, as their usual food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your chance for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
