Fewer than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its initial guidance on the medications.
Given more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and ongoing support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the production of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, via strategies like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Patients commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies indicates users may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the treatment, because their typical appetite come back.
To be carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
