Under a tenth of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and ongoing care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to universal availability to the injections that can help people shift substantial weight, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the present most optimistic outlook, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on countries and companies to expand availability, via strategies including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
The injections imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
People commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Research suggests users may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the medication, when their usual food cravings return.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for experiencing medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
