Less than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its first guidance on the medications.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to widespread availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the present best projected case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to increase access, by approaches including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
People typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates people may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their typical food cravings resume.
To be carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
