Less than 10% of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its first guidance on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to universal access to the jabs that can help people shift substantial weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice urges governments and firms to widen availability, by strategies including voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Work
These medications mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence suggests patients may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the medication, because their typical food cravings come back.
To be overweight or obese elevates your chance for contracting diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
