Fewer than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its first recommendations on the medications.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and continuous support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the present best projected scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The advice encourages countries and companies to expand availability, via approaches such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies indicates people may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the medication, when their normal food cravings come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for experiencing health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
