Under 10% of people that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it releases its initial recommendations on the drugs.
With over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the present most optimistic case, the production of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to widen availability, through measures such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Operate
These medications mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Individuals usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the treatment, as their usual food cravings come back.
Being above a healthy weight increases your risk for developing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
