Under 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it publishes its inaugural advice on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and lifelong treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The advice encourages countries and companies to expand availability, via approaches such as licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Individuals typically see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return within a year of halting the medication, as their typical food cravings come back.
Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for contracting diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
