Under 10% of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its initial advice on the therapies.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, over two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to widespread access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The advice encourages governments and firms to expand access, by strategies like voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Operate
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so individuals eat less.
Patients usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research points to users may see weight return within a year of halting the drug, when their typical food cravings return.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
