Under 10% of patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to widespread availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by approaches like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users eat less.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates users may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the drug, when their typical food cravings come back.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
