Under a tenth of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its initial advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and lifelong care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key barriers to widespread access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to expand availability, by strategies including licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase satiety so users reduce food intake.
Patients commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Research suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the medication, as their typical appetite resume.
To be overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
