Under one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and lifelong support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the production of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to increase availability, through measures such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies indicates patients may see weight return within a year of stopping the treatment, because their typical hunger come back.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
