Less than a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it issues its inaugural guidance on the therapies.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the present best projected case, the production of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The advice calls on governments and firms to increase access, by strategies including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
These medications replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
People usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research indicates people may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their usual hunger resume.
Being above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
