Fewer than 10% of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to broad access to the jabs that can help people shift considerable body mass, explains the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the present best projected outlook, the supply of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges governments and firms to increase availability, by strategies including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost satiety so individuals eat less.
People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence points to users may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the drug, as their typical appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
