Less than 10% of individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it issues its first recommendations on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, over two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through measures including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the drug, when their normal hunger return.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your chance for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
