Under a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it releases its initial advice on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and lifelong care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, explains the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the present best projected outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, via approaches such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so people reduce food intake.
People usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence suggests people may see weight return within a year of stopping the medication, because their normal hunger return.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
