Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it issues its inaugural advice on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and ongoing care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key barriers to broad access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the present most favorable outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to widen availability, through strategies like licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates users may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the medication, because their normal food cravings resume.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for experiencing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
