Fewer than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it issues its inaugural advice on the medications.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and continuous treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to universal access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the current most favorable case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, by measures like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the drug, when their usual appetite come back.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for contracting health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
