Less than one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it issues its first advice on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and lifelong support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to widespread availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the present most optimistic outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through strategies including voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost satiety so people reduce food intake.
Patients commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests users may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the drug, when their normal hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your risk for contracting diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
