Fewer than a tenth of people that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it releases its first recommendations on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant obstacles to widespread access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the present most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through strategies like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, when their normal appetite return.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your chance for contracting diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
