Fewer than a tenth of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its first advice on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current best projected case, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice urges governments and firms to increase availability, through strategies like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so users eat less.
Individuals typically start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research indicates people may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the drug, as their usual appetite resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
