Under one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it issues its initial guidance on the medications.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to increase access, via approaches including licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the treatment, because their typical food cravings resume.
Being above a healthy weight raises your chance for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
