Less than one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its first advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to universal access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the current best projected case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to increase access, via strategies such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance satiety so people eat less.
People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the drug, because their usual appetite resume.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for contracting health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
