Fewer than 10% of patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it releases its initial guidance on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and continuous treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to universal access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the present best projected case, the production of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The guideline urges governments and firms to widen access, via approaches such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
These medications replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance satiety so users reduce food intake.
Patients commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests patients may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their typical food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your chance for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
