Under a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging increased and just access to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and lifelong support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to broad availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present most favorable scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to widen access, via measures such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates people may see weight return after a year of halting the drug, when their normal appetite come back.
Being above a healthy weight increases your risk for experiencing health problems, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
