Under 10% of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it issues its first guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and ongoing care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the present most favorable scenario, the supply of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to increase access, via strategies like licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
These medications imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost satiety so users eat less.
People usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests users may see weight return a year later of halting the drug, when their normal food cravings return.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in every country and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
