Under one in 10 patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and continuous support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to widespread availability to the injections that can help people shift considerable body mass, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable case, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to widen access, via approaches such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
These medications replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance satiety so people eat less.
Patients commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates users may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the treatment, because their normal hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
