Under one in 10 individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major hurdles to broad access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to increase availability, through approaches like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
These medications imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so users reduce food intake.
People commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research indicates patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the treatment, as their usual appetite resume.
Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for contracting health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
