Fewer than one in 10 patients that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it issues its first advice on the drugs.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to universal access to the jabs that can help people shift considerable weight, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the present most optimistic case, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to increase access, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
People typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to patients may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their typical food cravings resume.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for experiencing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
