Under 10% of patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and lifelong treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major barriers to universal access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the present best projected outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to increase availability, via measures such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so people eat less.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the medication, because their typical appetite resume.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for developing diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
