Fewer than one in 10 people that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural advice on the medications.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and ongoing care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to broad access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the current most optimistic outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to widen access, by approaches like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
These medications mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost satiety so users eat less.
Patients typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates patients may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their normal food cravings come back.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
