Fewer than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
According to projections, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, explains the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the present best projected scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to widen access, through approaches like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Work
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost satiety so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence indicates people may put most of the weight back on a year later of halting the drug, when their typical food cravings come back.
To be carrying excess weight raises your chance for experiencing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
