Less than a tenth of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even under the present most optimistic case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to expand access, through approaches like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so users eat less.
Individuals usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research suggests users may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the medication, as their normal appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for experiencing medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
