Fewer than 10% of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to widespread availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, explains the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the present most favorable scenario, the supply of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to widen availability, through strategies including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
These medications replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so people reduce food intake.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research points to users may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the drug, when their normal appetite come back.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
