Fewer than one in 10 people that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the present best projected outlook, the production of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen availability, by approaches including licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence points to people may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the drug, as their typical appetite return.
Being above a healthy weight raises your chance for developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
