Under 10% of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and continuous support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to expand access, via approaches including patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
The injections mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase satiety so users eat less.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the treatment, as their normal hunger resume.
To be carrying excess weight raises your chance for developing diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
