Under a tenth of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it publishes its initial guidance on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and continuous care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable case, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to expand availability, via measures including patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so users eat less.
People commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the medication, as their normal appetite return.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for experiencing diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
