Less than a tenth of people that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it issues its first guidance on the therapies.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
According to projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and continuous care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to expand access, via measures including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Operate
The injections replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so people eat less.
People typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may see weight return within a year of halting the medication, when their typical hunger resume.
Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for contracting health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
