Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it issues its inaugural advice on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and continuous care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to universal access to the jabs that can help people shift significant weight, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, by measures including voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research suggests users may see weight return a year later of stopping the drug, as their normal appetite resume.
To be overweight or obese raises your chance for contracting health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
