Under a tenth of patients that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to broad availability to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the supply of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to widen access, via approaches such as patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
These medications replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return a year later of halting the treatment, as their typical food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your chance for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
