Fewer than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to universal access to the jabs that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to increase access, through approaches like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase satiety so people consume fewer calories.
People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests patients may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the medication, when their normal hunger return.
Being above a healthy weight raises your chance for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
