Under a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it releases its first guidance on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and ongoing support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to broad access to the jabs that can help people shift significant body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected case, the production of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges governments and firms to widen availability, via strategies like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
These medications mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Individuals typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates people may see weight return within a year of halting the treatment, because their typical hunger come back.
Being carrying excess weight raises your risk for experiencing diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
