Under one in 10 people who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, over two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and continuous treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major hurdles to universal availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the present most optimistic scenario, the supply of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to increase availability, via approaches including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
Patients typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research suggests people may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the drug, because their usual hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk for contracting health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
