Fewer than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its initial recommendations on the drugs.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, over two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to universal access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the present most optimistic case, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to increase access, by measures including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals reduce food intake.
People commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies points to users may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the medication, when their typical appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese elevates your chance for developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
