Fewer than 10% of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it issues its first advice on the medications.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major barriers to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, explains the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic case, the supply of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to widen availability, through approaches including voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so people eat less.
People commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies points to people may see weight return after a year of halting the treatment, because their typical food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for experiencing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
