Less than 10% of people that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it releases its first recommendations on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major barriers to universal access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the present most favorable outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to widen availability, by strategies such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals reduce food intake.
People commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests people may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the treatment, because their normal hunger resume.
To be overweight or obese elevates your chance for experiencing medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
