Less than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it issues its first recommendations on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable case, the production of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to increase access, via strategies like voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
These medications replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies suggests users may see weight return after a year of halting the medication, when their typical food cravings return.
Being overweight or obese elevates your chance for contracting health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
