Fewer than a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it releases its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and ongoing treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, explains the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The advice encourages governments and firms to widen availability, via strategies like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests people may put most of the weight back on a year later of halting the treatment, because their normal hunger come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
