Fewer than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via measures like patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients typically start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the medication, when their usual hunger come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
