Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it publishes its initial guidance on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The advice calls on governments and firms to expand access, through strategies such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users eat less.
Individuals typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research indicates users may see weight return within a year of stopping the medication, when their usual appetite return.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for developing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
