Fewer than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it issues its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now obese, it is calling for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and ongoing support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to broad availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic outlook, the production of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand access, through strategies like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the drug, when their typical food cravings return.
To be overweight or obese elevates your chance for developing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
