Under 10% of patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and continuous support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to widespread availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the present best projected scenario, the production of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through measures including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so users eat less.
Individuals typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies indicates people may see weight return within a year of halting the treatment, because their typical appetite return.
Being overweight or obese elevates your chance for contracting health problems, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in every country and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
