Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its first advice on the therapies.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to universal access to the injections that can help people shift substantial weight, explains the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the present most optimistic outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice encourages governments and firms to increase access, via approaches such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
People usually see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests users may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the drug, because their usual food cravings return.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for contracting diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in all nations and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
