Under 10% of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its initial guidance on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
According to forecasts, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and continuous support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Despite the present best projected outlook, the production of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to increase access, by approaches including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Work
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost satiety so users consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates patients may see weight return after a year of halting the medication, when their usual appetite come back.
To be overweight or obese increases your risk for developing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
