Under 10% of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it publishes its first guidance on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
According to projections, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, via measures including patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
These medications replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so users eat less.
People commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence points to people may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the treatment, when their typical appetite return.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your risk for developing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
