Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it publishes its inaugural advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and continuous support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the current most favorable scenario, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to increase availability, through strategies such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Function
These medications imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
People usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to people may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their typical food cravings return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for experiencing health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
