Fewer than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its inaugural advice on the drugs.
Given more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
According to projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to broad availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the present best projected outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to increase access, via approaches such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Operate
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so people eat less.
Patients usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to users may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the drug, as their normal appetite come back.
To be overweight or obese increases your risk for contracting health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
