Fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it issues its first advice on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Despite the current most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via measures like licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Patients usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research indicates patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the drug, because their usual food cravings come back.
To be overweight or obese elevates your risk for experiencing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
