Less than a tenth of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it issues its initial guidance on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and lifelong care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major barriers to universal availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current best projected outlook, the supply of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, via measures such as patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so people reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests users may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their usual hunger return.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for contracting health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
