Under a tenth of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its initial advice on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and continuous treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to broad access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to widen availability, via strategies including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so individuals eat less.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies indicates patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the treatment, when their usual hunger resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your chance for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
