Under one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it issues its first recommendations on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the present best projected outlook, the production of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to widen availability, by strategies including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so people reduce food intake.
People usually start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to people may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the treatment, as their usual hunger resume.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.