Less than a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it issues its inaugural guidance on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the present best projected case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to expand access, via approaches like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Work
The injections replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase satiety so people consume fewer calories.
People usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests users may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the medication, when their usual appetite resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
