Less than one in 10 patients that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its initial guidance on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and continuous treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the current best projected scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice calls on governments and firms to expand availability, via measures including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
People usually start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to users may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the drug, because their usual appetite resume.
To be overweight or obese raises your chance for developing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
