Fewer than one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it publishes its inaugural advice on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to universal availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the production of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The advice calls on countries and companies to widen availability, through strategies such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Patients typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies indicates users may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the medication, when their usual food cravings resume.
To be overweight or obese raises your likelihood for experiencing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity affects people in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
