Fewer than a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it issues its first recommendations on the therapies.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and ongoing support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to broad availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, explains the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable case, the production of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to expand access, by strategies including licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users eat less.
Patients usually see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence points to people may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the drug, because their typical hunger resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
