Under 10% of patients that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to broad access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to expand access, through strategies like patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Operate
The injections imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so people eat less.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research indicates users may see weight return within a year of halting the treatment, as their usual appetite resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for experiencing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
