Less than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it releases its inaugural guidance on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
According to projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad access to the jabs that can help people shift significant body mass, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the present most optimistic outlook, the supply of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to widen availability, through strategies like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
These medications imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.
Patients typically see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence suggests people may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the treatment, when their normal appetite resume.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your chance for experiencing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
