Under one in 10 people that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its initial advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major hurdles to universal availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the present most optimistic case, the supply of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to expand access, through approaches like voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
These medications imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so individuals eat less.
People usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates users may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the treatment, as their typical hunger come back.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
