Under one in 10 individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its initial guidance on the therapies.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major barriers to widespread availability to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the present most optimistic outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to expand access, by measures including patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies points to people may see weight return a year later of stopping the treatment, when their typical appetite resume.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for contracting health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.