Less than a tenth of individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to expand access, through approaches such as licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of halting the drug, when their normal appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your risk for experiencing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
