Fewer than 10% of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it publishes its first advice on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major hurdles to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift considerable body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the present best projected outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to widen availability, through strategies including patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests patients may see weight return after a year of stopping the medication, as their normal food cravings come back.
Being above a healthy weight raises your chance for contracting diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
