Fewer than one in 10 patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it issues its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to broad access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen availability, through measures such as patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their typical food cravings return.
To be above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for experiencing health problems, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
