Under a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural advice on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and continuous treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to broad access to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The guideline urges governments and firms to expand access, by approaches including voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost satiety so users eat less.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests people may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their usual hunger resume.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
