Fewer than one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it issues its first advice on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and ongoing support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the present best projected outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to increase availability, through approaches like voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
These medications imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
People commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence suggests patients may see weight return after a year of stopping the drug, when their typical appetite come back.
To be overweight or obese elevates your chance for contracting diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
