Under 10% of people that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and lifelong care," remarked WHO director-general 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 considerable body mass, notes the organization.
Even under the current most favorable case, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to expand availability, through measures such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
These medications replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates patients may see weight return after a year of stopping the medication, as their typical food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for developing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
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