Less than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key barriers to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift considerable weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the current most favorable case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via measures including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Research suggests users may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the drug, as their typical appetite come back.
Being above a healthy weight raises your chance for experiencing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
