Less than 10% of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its inaugural guidance on the medications.
Given more than one billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and ongoing support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to universal access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the current most optimistic case, the production of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by strategies including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
People typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests users may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the drug, when their usual appetite come back.
Being above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for developing health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
