Fewer than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it issues its inaugural advice on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and continuous treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift significant body mass, explains the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to expand availability, by approaches including voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
People typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the drug, when their typical hunger return.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
