Fewer than one in 10 patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and continuous support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can help people shift significant body mass, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the present most optimistic scenario, the production of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to expand availability, through approaches like voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates people may see weight return after a year of stopping the drug, when their normal food cravings resume.
Being above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
