Under a tenth of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it publishes its initial guidance on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the present most optimistic scenario, the production of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to increase access, by measures such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
These medications replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users eat less.
Patients typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence points to people may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the treatment, as their usual appetite resume.
To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for experiencing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity affects people in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
