Fewer than one in 10 patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it publishes its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the present best projected outlook, the supply of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to widen availability, through measures like patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
The injections replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
People usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, as their normal hunger resume.
Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for contracting health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
