Less than 10% of individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its first advice on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to broad access to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the current most optimistic case, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to widen availability, through approaches including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase satiety so people eat less.
Individuals typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests people may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the drug, because their normal hunger resume.
To be overweight or obese elevates your risk for developing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
