Less than a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it issues its initial advice on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and continuous support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key barriers to widespread availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, explains the body.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even under the current best projected case, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The guideline urges governments and firms to expand access, via approaches such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Work
These medications mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence points to users may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, when their usual food cravings resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for contracting diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
