Less than one in 10 patients that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it publishes its initial advice on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and continuous treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the supply of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to widen access, through measures including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, because their usual appetite resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
