Fewer than a tenth of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and continuous care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the current best projected case, the production of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to widen access, via strategies including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Function
The injections replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
People usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies indicates patients may see weight return after a year of stopping the treatment, when their typical appetite return.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
