Under 10% of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural advice on the drugs.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and lifelong support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most optimistic outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to expand access, through approaches such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
The injections mimick a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users eat less.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research suggests patients may see weight return after a year of stopping the treatment, when their usual food cravings come back.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for developing diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
