Under one in 10 people who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it issues its inaugural advice on the drugs.
With over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to broad availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic outlook, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to increase availability, through strategies like voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Work
These medications imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so individuals eat less.
People typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research suggests users may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the drug, as their typical hunger resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for experiencing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
