Under 10% of patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it issues its initial advice on the therapies.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and lifelong treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to broad access to the injections that can help people shift considerable body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to expand availability, via strategies including voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the main component of a leading brand – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase satiety so people eat less.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the treatment, when their typical food cravings come back.
Being carrying excess weight raises your risk for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
