Under 10% of people that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its first guidance on the medications.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, over two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to widespread availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most optimistic case, the production of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to expand availability, by strategies such as licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Operate
The injections replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests users may see weight return after a year of stopping the drug, as their usual food cravings come back.
To be above a healthy weight increases your chance for contracting medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
