Fewer than one in 10 people that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it issues its inaugural guidance on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the present best projected outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to expand access, by measures such as licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
These medications replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
People typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research indicates patients may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, because their typical appetite resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
