Under one in 10 people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it issues its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic outlook, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to increase availability, via strategies like voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
These medications replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence suggests users may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the drug, because their normal hunger come back.
Being above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for developing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
