Fewer than a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it releases its inaugural advice on the therapies.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to broad availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the production of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen access, via strategies such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so users eat less.
People usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence suggests users may regain a significant portion a year later of halting the treatment, as their typical food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your risk for experiencing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
