Less than one in 10 patients who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even under the current best projected outlook, the production of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to widen access, through strategies like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Work
The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
People commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies points to patients may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, because their normal food cravings come back.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for contracting health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
