Fewer than one in 10 people that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial advice on the drugs.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to widespread access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the current most optimistic scenario, the production of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to increase access, through strategies including patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research points to users may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, when their usual hunger return.
To be overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
