Under 10% of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it issues its initial advice on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to widespread access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic case, the production of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to increase availability, via measures such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence indicates patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the treatment, because their typical food cravings return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for contracting diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
