Fewer than 10% of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to universal access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The guideline urges governments and firms to expand access, by approaches such as patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Work
The injections mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so people consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the treatment, as their normal hunger return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
