Less than one in 10 people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its first advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and continuous support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Despite the current best projected outlook, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The advice encourages governments and firms to expand availability, by approaches such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Operate
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users eat less.
Patients typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the drug, as their typical hunger come back.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
