Fewer than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it publishes its inaugural advice on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, over two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the present most favorable case, the production of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand availability, via approaches including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
People usually start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies points to people may see weight return a year later of halting the drug, when their normal food cravings resume.
To be overweight or obese increases your chance for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
