Under 10% of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it publishes its first guidance on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and lifelong care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to widespread availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to expand access, via approaches like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Operate
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
People commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the drug, as their typical hunger return.
To be overweight or obese increases your likelihood for contracting diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
