Under a tenth of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, over two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and continuous treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to universal access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by measures like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people eat less.
People typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their normal food cravings resume.
Being above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for developing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
