Fewer than 10% of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it issues its inaugural guidance on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, over two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and continuous treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal access to the jabs that can help people shift considerable body mass, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the present best projected outlook, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to widen access, through approaches such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence indicates patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their usual food cravings return.
To be overweight or obese elevates your risk for experiencing health problems, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in every country and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
