Under one in 10 patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it issues its initial advice on the therapies.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to broad access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable case, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to expand access, by strategies including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
These medications replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research suggests patients may regain a significant portion a year later of halting the medication, because their normal appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
