Under 10% of patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to widespread availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current most optimistic scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to increase availability, through strategies such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
These medications replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people eat less.
Patients typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research indicates people may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the medication, when their typical food cravings return.
Being above a healthy weight increases your chance for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
