Less than 10% of patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it publishes its first advice on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and lifelong treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the current best projected scenario, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to widen availability, through strategies including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research suggests users may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the treatment, as their typical hunger return.
To be overweight or obese increases your chance for contracting health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
