Fewer than a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its initial recommendations on the medications.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key barriers to universal access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the current most favorable scenario, the production of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The advice encourages countries and companies to widen access, via measures such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies suggests people may see weight return within a year of stopping the treatment, as their typical hunger return.
Being above a healthy weight raises your chance for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
