Less than one in 10 patients who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it issues its initial advice on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and ongoing support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the current most optimistic outlook, the production of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to increase access, through approaches like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so users eat less.
People typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research suggests patients may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the drug, as their typical hunger return.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for contracting health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
