Under one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide now obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, explains the agency.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even under the present most favorable scenario, the supply of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to expand availability, via approaches such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
People usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to users may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the medication, as their usual food cravings come back.
Being overweight or obese increases your chance for developing health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
