Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it releases its first guidance on the therapies.
Given over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to universal availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present best projected case, the supply of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice urges countries and companies to widen access, via approaches like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Function
These medications replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies indicates users may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the medication, because their typical hunger return.
To be overweight or obese increases your chance for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
