Under 10% of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the medications.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and continuous treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to widen availability, through approaches such as licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
These medications replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research indicates people may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their typical hunger come back.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for contracting medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
