Under one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its first guidance on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice urges countries and companies to widen availability, by strategies such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Individuals usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests users may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the medication, when their typical appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for contracting diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
