Fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it issues its inaugural advice on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can help people shift considerable weight, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the present best projected outlook, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand availability, through strategies such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
These medications replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the drug, as their normal food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for experiencing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
