Fewer than 10% of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Given 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 forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and lifelong care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the present most favorable scenario, the production of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to increase availability, via measures such as patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Function
These medications imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so users eat less.
Individuals usually see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies suggests patients may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the drug, because their typical hunger come back.
To be overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
