Fewer than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the therapies.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to widespread access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, says the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the current most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to expand access, via measures such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies indicates patients may see weight return within a year of halting the drug, when their normal appetite come back.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
