Less than a tenth of people that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its initial guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and continuous care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the production of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to expand access, via approaches including patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies indicates users may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the treatment, when their usual hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for contracting diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
