Less than a tenth of patients that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its first advice on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and lifelong care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to widespread access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, through approaches including licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, when their usual hunger return.
Being above a healthy weight increases your chance for experiencing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
