Fewer than 10% of individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its initial recommendations on the medications.
With more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to universal access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to widen access, via measures such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the treatment, as their normal food cravings come back.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
