Fewer than 10% of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to widespread availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the present most favorable outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand availability, through strategies including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates users may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the drug, because their typical appetite return.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for contracting health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
