Under 10% of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it issues its inaugural advice on the medications.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, says the body.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even under the current best projected outlook, the supply of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to increase availability, by strategies like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.
Patients typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies suggests users may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, as their usual appetite resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
