Under one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
According to forecasts, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant obstacles to widespread availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, explains the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the present most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to increase access, by strategies such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so users consume fewer calories.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the drug, when their normal appetite resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for experiencing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in every country and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
