Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it issues its first guidance on the therapies.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, explains the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through measures like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
These medications replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
People usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates people may see weight return after a year of halting the medication, as their normal appetite resume.
To be overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
