Less than one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its first guidance on the drugs.
Given more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Per forecasts, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to broad access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to increase access, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people eat less.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates users may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the drug, when their usual food cravings return.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for developing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
