Under a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs.
With 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.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the current most favorable case, the supply of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, through approaches like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
These medications mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so users eat less.
Patients usually see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests people may see weight return within a year of stopping the drug, because their typical food cravings resume.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your chance for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
