Under one in 10 individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and continuous treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift significant body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to expand access, via measures like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
These medications replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so individuals eat less.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the drug, as their typical food cravings resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
