Under 10% of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it issues its inaugural guidance on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and ongoing treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift significant body mass, explains the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to widen access, via strategies such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
People usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates patients may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the medication, because their usual food cravings return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your risk for developing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
