Under 10% of individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it publishes its initial guidance on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and ongoing treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the present most optimistic case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to expand availability, by measures including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Work
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so people eat less.
People commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies indicates people may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the medication, because their usual food cravings return.
Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
