Less than one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and continuous support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to widespread availability to the treatments that can help people shift significant body mass, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the present most favorable case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to increase availability, via strategies such as patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary component of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the drug, as their normal appetite come back.
To be carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
