Less than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it releases its first guidance on the therapies.
Given more than one billion people worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and continuous treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to widespread availability to the injections that can help people shift significant weight, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the current most favorable outlook, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to expand availability, through strategies including voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
These medications replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so people reduce food intake.
People commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies indicates patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the medication, as their typical appetite return.
Being above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for contracting diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
