Less than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its first advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and ongoing support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to universal availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The advice urges governments and firms to expand access, through measures including licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
The injections imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase satiety so users reduce food intake.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests patients may see weight return after a year of halting the drug, when their typical appetite come back.
Being above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for developing health problems, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
