Fewer than a tenth of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the therapies.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and continuous care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to broad access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Despite the current best projected outlook, the production of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to widen access, through strategies such as patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
The injections replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance satiety so people eat less.
People usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests users may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, because their typical appetite return.
To be above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for contracting health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
