Under 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its initial guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to universal availability to the injections that can help people shift significant weight, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to increase access, through approaches such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
These medications replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research suggests people may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the medication, when their normal food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight raises your risk for experiencing health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
