Under one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it issues its initial recommendations on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, over two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to universal access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the supply of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to widen availability, via approaches including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
The injections replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to people may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their typical hunger come back.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your chance for contracting health problems, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
