Under 10% of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its first advice on the drugs.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the current most optimistic outlook, the supply of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to widen availability, by measures like licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
These medications imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
People typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the medication, because their typical food cravings return.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for contracting health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
