Under a tenth of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it publishes its inaugural advice on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and ongoing treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift significant weight, explains the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to widen access, by approaches like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost satiety so people reduce food intake.
Patients commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to people may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the medication, when their typical food cravings return.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your chance for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
