Less than 10% of patients that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it publishes its initial guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and lifelong support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to broad access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present best projected scenario, the supply of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The advice calls on countries and companies to expand access, via measures such as licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users eat less.
Patients usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence points to patients may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the treatment, when their typical appetite come back.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for contracting diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
