Under one in 10 people that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to widespread availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current best projected case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to widen access, through strategies including licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
Individuals typically see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the medication, because their normal food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
