Less than one in 10 patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it issues its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Given over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major hurdles to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the production of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to expand access, through strategies including patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Operate
These medications replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so individuals reduce food intake.
People usually see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the medication, as their typical appetite resume.
Being above a healthy weight increases your chance for developing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
