Under one in 10 individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it publishes its first recommendations on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major barriers to broad access to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to widen access, via measures including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates people may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the drug, when their normal hunger come back.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your chance for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
