Under one in 10 people who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it issues its first recommendations on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and lifelong support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the production of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The advice calls on countries and companies to expand availability, by strategies like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase satiety so people eat less.
People usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests people may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the medication, because their normal hunger resume.
To be overweight or obese increases your chance for experiencing health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
