Fewer than a tenth of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its first guidance on the therapies.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to universal availability to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the present most optimistic case, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, via measures like voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Patients typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence suggests patients may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the treatment, when their normal hunger resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
