Less than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to widespread access to the jabs that can help people shift considerable weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the present best projected case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to expand availability, via measures like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
The injections mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Individuals usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies points to users may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their typical food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
