Under 10% of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it issues its first advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, explains the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the current most optimistic case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to increase access, through approaches such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the medication, as their usual hunger return.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
