Less than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it publishes its initial guidance on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and continuous support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by strategies including patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost satiety so people reduce food intake.
People commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research indicates people may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the drug, when their usual food cravings resume.
To be overweight or obese raises your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
