Fewer than 10% of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it issues its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Given over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to widespread availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The advice calls on countries and companies to expand access, via strategies including voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
These medications mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, as their normal food cravings come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
