Under one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its initial recommendations on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is calling for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and continuous treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to broad availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to expand availability, by strategies including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance satiety so people eat less.
People usually see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates people may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the treatment, when their normal hunger come back.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
