Fewer than a tenth of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its initial recommendations on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and lifelong care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on countries and companies to expand availability, by strategies including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the medication, when their normal appetite come back.
Being above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for experiencing diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
