Less than one in 10 people that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it issues its first advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and continuous care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the present best projected scenario, the supply of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by measures like licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Function
The injections imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies suggests users may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the treatment, as their usual hunger return.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
