Less than 10% of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it publishes its initial recommendations on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
According to projections, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and continuous care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to universal availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, via strategies like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance satiety so people eat less.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates users may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their typical hunger come back.
To be above a healthy weight increases your risk for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
