Under 10% of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its first advice on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and lifelong treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to universal availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the present best projected scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to widen availability, via measures such as licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
The injections replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to patients may see weight return within a year of stopping the treatment, when their typical food cravings resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for developing diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
