Under 10% of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it releases its inaugural advice on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and continuous care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift considerable weight, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The advice calls on countries and companies to widen access, via strategies such as patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Work
The injections imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so individuals eat less.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence suggests people may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the treatment, when their usual food cravings return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your risk for developing health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
