Less than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it issues its initial advice on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to universal access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the present best projected case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The advice encourages governments and firms to expand availability, by approaches including voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Patients commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests users may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the drug, because their usual appetite return.
Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for experiencing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
