Less than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the medications.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and ongoing support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major barriers to universal access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected case, the production of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The advice encourages countries and companies to widen access, via measures like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Individuals usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests patients may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the drug, when their typical food cravings return.
Being overweight or obese elevates your chance for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
