Less than a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and ongoing treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the present most optimistic outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen availability, through approaches such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost satiety so users eat less.
People typically start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their normal hunger return.
To be overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
