Under 10% of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it issues its initial guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, over two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, explains the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the production of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to widen access, by measures like licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to users may see weight return within a year of stopping the medication, when their normal food cravings resume.
To be above a healthy weight increases your risk for contracting health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
