Fewer than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its first guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and continuous care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current best projected case, the production of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The advice calls on countries and companies to expand access, via measures including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
The injections imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Patients commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence points to patients may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, because their usual appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
