Under 10% of patients that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and lifelong support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the present best projected case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to widen availability, by strategies like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so individuals reduce food intake.
People usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the treatment, when their normal appetite resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
