Fewer than one in 10 patients who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its first recommendations on the therapies.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the present most optimistic case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to increase availability, via strategies such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research indicates users may see weight return after a year of halting the drug, because their usual hunger return.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your chance for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
