Fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and continuous treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key barriers to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via measures such as licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so people reduce food intake.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the drug, as their typical food cravings return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your risk for contracting health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
