Fewer than a tenth of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad availability to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Despite the current most optimistic case, the production of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to widen availability, by approaches such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people eat less.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence points to people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, when their typical hunger return.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
