Less than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and lifelong care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even under the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through approaches such as patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates patients may see weight return a year later of halting the drug, because their usual appetite resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk for developing diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in every country and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
