Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it issues its first guidance on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and lifelong care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present best projected case, the production of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to increase access, by strategies including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
These medications mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so users eat less.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies suggests users may see weight return a year later of halting the treatment, when their usual food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your likelihood for experiencing diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
