Fewer than 10% of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the present best projected scenario, the production of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to expand access, via strategies including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
People typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to patients may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the medication, as their typical appetite resume.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
