Under a tenth of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to universal access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the present most optimistic scenario, the production of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to widen access, by measures including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Function
These medications imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase satiety so individuals eat less.
People commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the medication, as their normal food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your risk for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
