Under one in 10 people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
According to projections, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present best projected scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice encourages governments and firms to widen availability, through strategies including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
These medications replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates people may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the drug, because their normal food cravings resume.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in all nations and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
