Fewer than a tenth of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and continuous support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to broad access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to widen availability, through strategies including voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Individuals typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests users may see weight return after a year of stopping the treatment, as their typical food cravings return.
To be overweight or obese increases your chance for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
