Less than one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it issues its initial guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now 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 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and continuous support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current most optimistic case, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to increase access, by strategies like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Patients typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research indicates people may see weight return within a year of stopping the drug, when their usual hunger resume.
To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for experiencing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
