Fewer than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its inaugural guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to broad access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the present best projected case, the production of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to widen availability, via approaches like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
People usually see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies points to patients may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their usual appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
