Under one in 10 people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to broad availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the present most favorable scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand access, through measures including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
People typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies indicates people may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the medication, when their usual hunger return.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your risk for contracting diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
