Fewer than one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it issues its first advice on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable case, the supply of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to widen availability, via approaches such as licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests users may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the drug, as their typical appetite come back.
To be overweight or obese elevates your risk for contracting health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
