Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can help people shift considerable body mass, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the current most favorable case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to increase access, through approaches such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections mimick a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
People commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence points to people may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the drug, as their normal appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for developing diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
