Less than one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its inaugural guidance on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major barriers to universal availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the present most optimistic case, the production of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their typical hunger come back.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for experiencing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
