Less than one in 10 people who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural advice on the therapies.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to broad availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, explains the body.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even under the present best projected outlook, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen availability, by measures such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so users consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies indicates users may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the treatment, when their normal appetite come back.
To be above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
