Less than 10% of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it publishes its initial advice on the therapies.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our 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 key obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the present most optimistic scenario, the production of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand availability, by strategies including licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance satiety so people reduce food intake.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to patients may see weight return after a year of halting the drug, as their typical appetite resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for experiencing health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in all nations and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
