Under a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it releases its initial recommendations on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major barriers to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The advice encourages governments and firms to increase availability, through measures such as patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
These medications imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Patients usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to patients may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the treatment, as their usual appetite return.
Being overweight or obese raises your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in every country and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
