Under 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it releases its first recommendations on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and ongoing treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to broad access to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Despite the present most optimistic case, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to increase access, via measures including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
People typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates patients may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their typical appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for experiencing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
