Under a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it issues its inaugural advice on the therapies.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major barriers to universal access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to widen access, by approaches such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Operate
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase satiety so people eat less.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests users may see weight return within a year of halting the treatment, as their normal hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for contracting health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
