Fewer than 10% of patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its initial advice on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging increased and just access to this class of drugs.
According to projections, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to expand access, by approaches including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return within a year of halting the treatment, as their normal hunger come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your risk for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
