Fewer than one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to broad access to the injections that can help people shift significant body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the current best projected case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The guideline urges governments and firms to expand access, by measures like voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
People commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence suggests users may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the treatment, when their typical appetite return.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your chance for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
