Under a tenth of patients that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it releases its initial advice on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and continuous support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the present most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to increase availability, by strategies including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
These medications imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the treatment, as their typical food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
