Less than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it issues its first guidance on the medications.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and continuous care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to widespread availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the current best projected outlook, the production of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to increase access, via strategies including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
These medications imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so people eat less.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence points to people may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the medication, when their normal appetite return.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your chance for experiencing diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
