Less than a tenth of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it issues its inaugural advice on the medications.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to widespread availability to the injections that can help people shift significant body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen access, by strategies such as patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
These medications imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests people may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the medication, when their usual hunger return.
Being above a healthy weight increases your risk for contracting diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
