Less than 10% of people that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it issues its initial advice on the therapies.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and lifelong support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to broad availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the current best projected case, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through strategies including licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
The injections mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies indicates patients may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the treatment, as their typical appetite come back.
To be overweight or obese raises your chance for developing health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
