Under 10% of individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial guidance on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand availability, via strategies such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Function
The injections replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests users may see weight return a year later of stopping the medication, when their usual hunger come back.
Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
