Fewer than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its first recommendations on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and ongoing support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to universal availability to the injections that can help people shift significant weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present most optimistic outlook, the production of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to expand access, through measures like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
People usually see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests people may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the medication, because their usual food cravings return.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for experiencing health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
