Less than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its first advice on the medications.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to universal availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the present most optimistic case, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to increase availability, via measures including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Research suggests users may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the medication, as their usual food cravings come back.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your chance for contracting diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
