Under 10% of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it releases its initial advice on the therapies.
Given over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to universal access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the current best projected scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The advice urges governments and firms to expand access, by approaches including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
People usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates users may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the drug, when their normal appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
