Fewer than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to widespread availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to expand availability, through measures such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so users eat less.
Individuals typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on a year later of halting the drug, as their typical appetite resume.
To be above a healthy weight increases your chance for experiencing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity affects people in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
