Fewer than a tenth of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it issues its initial advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and lifelong care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, explains the agency.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Despite the current best projected scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The advice calls on governments and firms to increase availability, by measures such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, because their normal appetite return.
To be overweight or obese elevates your chance for experiencing health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
