Fewer than one in 10 patients that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it issues its initial guidance on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and lifelong treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to broad access to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the present most favorable case, the supply of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to expand availability, through approaches including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the drug, as their typical food cravings resume.
Being above a healthy weight raises your chance for contracting medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
