Under 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it issues its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and ongoing care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the present best projected scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via strategies including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
These medications imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research indicates people may see weight return within a year of stopping the treatment, because their typical appetite resume.
To be overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
