Fewer than one in 10 patients that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it issues its initial guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to broad access to the injections that can help people shift considerable weight, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic case, the supply of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The advice encourages countries and companies to increase availability, by measures including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
These medications replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence suggests people may see weight return within a year of halting the medication, as their usual food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for contracting health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
