Fewer than a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it issues its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to widespread access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on governments and firms to increase access, via measures like voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence indicates patients may see weight return a year later of stopping the medication, as their usual food cravings resume.
Being above a healthy weight increases your chance for contracting health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
