Fewer than a tenth of people who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it issues its initial advice on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to widespread availability to the injections that can help people shift significant weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current best projected case, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to expand availability, via strategies including licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Operate
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence indicates people may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the treatment, when their usual hunger come back.
To be overweight or obese raises your likelihood for developing diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
