Fewer than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it issues its initial advice on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to broad availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the present most favorable case, the production of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to increase availability, via approaches such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so people reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates patients may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the medication, as their normal appetite resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for experiencing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
