Under one in 10 individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and continuous support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to widespread access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the present most optimistic outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to expand availability, via measures such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence suggests users may put most of the weight back on a year later of halting the treatment, because their usual appetite resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your chance for contracting health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
