Less than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and ongoing care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to widespread availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice calls on countries and companies to increase availability, through strategies such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Work
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
People typically see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the drug, because their usual hunger return.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
