Less than a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural advice on the medications.
With more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to widespread availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through approaches like licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so users reduce food intake.
People usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates patients may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the drug, as their typical hunger resume.
Being carrying excess weight raises your risk for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
