Under one in 10 people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and continuous treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift significant weight, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the current most optimistic outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through strategies like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase satiety so people eat less.
People typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests patients may see weight return within a year of halting the drug, because their normal hunger come back.
To be above a healthy weight increases your chance for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.