Fewer than a tenth of patients that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and continuous care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the present most optimistic outlook, the supply of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to widen access, via approaches including licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
People typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests users may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, because their normal appetite return.
To be overweight or obese raises your chance for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
