Fewer than 10% of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and continuous support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to widespread availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the present most optimistic scenario, the supply of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to widen availability, via measures like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
People usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies indicates users may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the treatment, as their usual food cravings resume.
To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for experiencing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
