Less than 10% of people that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it issues its inaugural guidance on the therapies.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Per projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to broad access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present best projected case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through strategies including patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
People usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates patients may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the drug, as their usual hunger resume.
To be overweight or obese raises your risk for developing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
