Less than one in 10 people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to broad access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected case, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to increase availability, via measures like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
These medications imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
People typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence points to patients may see weight return within a year of stopping the treatment, when their typical food cravings return.
Being above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
