Under a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it publishes its initial guidance on the medications.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and continuous treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to broad access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the body.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the production of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand availability, through measures such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
People usually start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence points to patients may see weight return a year later of halting the drug, because their typical appetite resume.
To be carrying excess weight increases your chance for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
