Fewer than a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it issues its initial recommendations on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and ongoing care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift significant body mass, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to widen access, by strategies including patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so people consume fewer calories.
People usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests people may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the drug, when their usual appetite come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for contracting diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
