Fewer than a tenth of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural advice on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now obese, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and continuous care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to universal availability to the injections that can help people shift considerable weight, explains the agency.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the present best projected scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to widen access, via approaches like licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Patients commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence points to people may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the medication, when their usual hunger return.
Being above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
