Fewer than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it publishes its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to broad access to the jabs that can help people shift significant weight, explains the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the present best projected case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to increase availability, via measures including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Patients usually start to lose weight after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the treatment, because their usual appetite resume.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your chance for experiencing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
