Fewer than a tenth of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it publishes its first recommendations on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the present most optimistic case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to increase availability, by approaches including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Individuals typically start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return within a year of stopping the drug, as their usual appetite come back.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for experiencing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
