Fewer than a tenth of people that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its initial recommendations on the medications.
Given over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, over two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major barriers to widespread availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, explains the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to widen access, through measures like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
People commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research indicates users may see weight return within a year of halting the treatment, when their typical appetite come back.
Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for contracting diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
