Fewer than 10% of patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it releases its inaugural advice on the therapies.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to broad availability to the injections that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to expand availability, via approaches including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the medication, when their usual hunger return.
Being overweight or obese raises your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
