Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, over two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and continuous care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major hurdles to broad availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to increase access, through strategies including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
These medications replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies indicates people may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the medication, when their normal hunger come back.
Being above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for contracting diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
