Less than 10% of people that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its first guidance on the medications.
With more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and continuous treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to universal availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present best projected outlook, the supply of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through strategies including patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Patients typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the medication, because their usual food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.