Less than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its initial guidance on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and lifelong treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major barriers to widespread access to the jabs that can help people shift significant body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable scenario, the supply of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to widen availability, via measures such as licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests people may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the medication, because their typical food cravings come back.
Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
