Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it releases its first recommendations on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and ongoing treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to widespread availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the present most favorable scenario, the supply of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to widen access, by measures like voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Work
The injections mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users eat less.
Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates patients may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the treatment, when their usual food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your chance for experiencing health problems, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
