Under one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and continuous care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can help people shift considerable body mass, explains the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The advice calls on governments and firms to increase availability, via strategies including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so users eat less.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the medication, as their normal food cravings come back.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for contracting health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
