Fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it publishes its first advice on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Based on estimates, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, through approaches such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
These medications imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so users eat less.
Patients typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests users may put most of the weight back on a year later of halting the medication, when their normal hunger return.
Being above a healthy weight raises your chance for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.