Fewer than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it releases its initial recommendations on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Based on estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and lifelong support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift significant body mass, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the current most favorable scenario, the supply of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to increase availability, via approaches including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
People usually see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates users may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the drug, as their typical food cravings resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your chance for developing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
