Under a tenth of people that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it releases its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and ongoing support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major barriers to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The advice urges countries and companies to expand availability, through measures including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research suggests users may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the drug, when their normal food cravings come back.
Being overweight or obese elevates your risk for contracting health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
