Less than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it publishes its inaugural advice on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Despite the current most optimistic scenario, the production of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to widen access, by approaches such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.
People usually see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests users may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the medication, when their usual hunger resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
