Under one in 10 people that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, over two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to universal availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present best projected outlook, the supply of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to increase availability, by measures like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so people eat less.
People typically see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests patients may see weight return a year later of stopping the treatment, because their normal food cravings resume.
To be above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for contracting diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in all nations and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
