Less than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it issues its first recommendations on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Per forecasts, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to broad availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the present best projected scenario, the production of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through strategies such as licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the drug, because their usual appetite come back.
To be overweight or obese raises your risk for experiencing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
