Under one in 10 people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural advice on the drugs.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, explains the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic outlook, the supply of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to increase access, via measures such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies points to patients may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their typical food cravings resume.
To be carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for developing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
