Less than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it issues its initial advice on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
According to projections, over two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to broad access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the current most favorable case, the supply of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The advice encourages countries and companies to increase access, via approaches such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates users may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the medication, as their normal food cravings return.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
