Less than a tenth of individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Based on estimates, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and continuous care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift considerable body mass, explains the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the present most optimistic scenario, the supply of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The advice urges countries and companies to expand access, through measures including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
These medications imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
People usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies suggests people may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the medication, when their usual food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your chance for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
