Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it issues its initial recommendations on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and continuous treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to universal access to the injections that can help people shift considerable weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current most optimistic case, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to increase availability, via strategies such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
People commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to people may put most of the weight back on a year later of halting the drug, when their typical hunger come back.
To be carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
