Under a tenth of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, over two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to widespread access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the present best projected case, the supply of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The advice calls on governments and firms to expand availability, by measures like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies indicates people may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the drug, when their typical appetite come back.
Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for experiencing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
