Under 10% of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its first guidance on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to universal availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected scenario, the supply of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to widen availability, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
People usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates patients may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their usual food cravings return.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your chance for developing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
