Fewer than 10% of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it publishes its first guidance on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to widespread access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the production of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to widen availability, through strategies such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so people consume fewer calories.
People usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates people may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the drug, when their normal food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight raises your risk for experiencing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
