Less than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it releases its initial guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and continuous care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to broad availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the current most optimistic case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on governments and firms to expand access, via approaches such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase satiety so people eat less.
People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates users may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the drug, as their normal food cravings come back.
Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for contracting health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
