Less than a tenth of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural advice on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Based on estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to widespread access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to expand availability, by approaches including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Patients typically see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates users may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the treatment, when their typical hunger return.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for experiencing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
