Under one in 10 individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it releases its inaugural advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the present best projected case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to expand access, via approaches like voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
These medications mimick a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance satiety so people eat less.
People commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests patients may see weight return after a year of stopping the treatment, because their normal hunger come back.
Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
