Under 10% of people that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it issues its inaugural advice on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the present most optimistic outlook, the supply of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through measures such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the medication, because their usual appetite resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your risk for contracting diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
