Under a tenth of people that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its inaugural guidance on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on countries and companies to expand availability, through measures including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
Individuals typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence points to patients may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the treatment, when their usual appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for developing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
