Under 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it publishes its first advice on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to broad availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the current best projected case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to widen availability, through strategies such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
These medications imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Patients commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research points to users may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the medication, because their normal appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
