Fewer than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it issues its initial guidance on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift considerable body mass, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to widen availability, through measures like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests users may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the drug, when their usual appetite return.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your risk for experiencing diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
