Fewer than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it issues its initial guidance on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Per forecasts, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the present most favorable outlook, the production of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to expand availability, by approaches like licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
These medications mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the treatment, when their typical hunger come back.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
