Under one in 10 people that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the therapies.
Given over a billion people worldwide now obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key barriers to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through approaches including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
These medications replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
People commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the medication, because their usual appetite resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for experiencing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
