Under 10% of people that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its first recommendations on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, over two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and continuous care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to widespread access to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to increase access, via approaches like voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so users eat less.
Patients commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research suggests patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the medication, as their usual appetite resume.
To be overweight or obese raises your likelihood for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
