Fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to broad availability to the injections that can help people shift significant weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the present best projected outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to widen access, through approaches such as patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the drug, because their typical food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for contracting health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
