Less than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its first recommendations on the medications.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, over two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to broad access to the jabs that can help people shift considerable body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the current most favorable case, the supply of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen availability, by approaches such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main component of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
The injections imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so people eat less.
Patients commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research suggests users may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the medication, as their usual appetite come back.
Being above a healthy weight raises your chance for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
