Under a tenth of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its first recommendations on the medications.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the production of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to increase availability, through measures such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
The injections replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research indicates people may see weight return within a year of halting the treatment, because their typical hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for developing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
