Fewer than 10% of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, over two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key barriers to universal access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current best projected outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, via approaches like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
These medications imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so users eat less.
People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence points to users may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their normal hunger return.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for experiencing health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
