Under 10% of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its first advice on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and ongoing care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to broad access to the jabs that can help people shift significant body mass, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present best projected outlook, the supply of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to increase availability, by strategies like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
People usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to people may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their usual food cravings return.
To be overweight or obese increases your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
