Fewer than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it publishes its first guidance on the medications.
Given over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and lifelong care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to widespread availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the production of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to increase availability, through approaches such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Operate
These medications mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance satiety so people reduce food intake.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates users may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the medication, when their normal appetite resume.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your chance for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
