Less than a tenth of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it issues its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, explains the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to widen access, via strategies such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
These medications mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Patients commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Research indicates users may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the treatment, because their typical food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for developing diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
