Less than a tenth of patients that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it issues its first advice on the therapies.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to universal availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present best projected case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to increase access, through approaches like licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Individuals typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies points to patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the drug, when their normal food cravings resume.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for developing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
