Fewer than 10% of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its first advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and continuous treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to increase availability, by strategies like voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase satiety so users reduce food intake.
People commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the drug, when their usual food cravings return.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your risk for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
