Less than one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it releases its initial guidance on the drugs.
With over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Based on estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to universal access to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the current most optimistic outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, via strategies including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
These medications imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests patients may see weight return a year later of halting the medication, because their typical food cravings return.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
