Less than one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and continuous care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to broad access to the jabs that can help people shift significant body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to expand access, through strategies like licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost satiety so individuals eat less.
People usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their usual food cravings resume.
To be overweight or obese raises your chance for experiencing diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
