Under one in 10 individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it releases its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to broad availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable outlook, the production of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to increase access, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research suggests users may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the drug, as their usual appetite resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your chance for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
