Fewer than one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and ongoing support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected case, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to increase access, through measures like voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
People commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to users may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the medication, as their usual hunger return.
Being overweight or obese elevates your risk for contracting diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
