Under a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural guidance on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to broad access to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to increase access, through strategies like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence indicates patients may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the drug, as their usual food cravings resume.
To be overweight or obese increases your risk for experiencing health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
