Fewer than one in 10 patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and ongoing care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to widespread availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, notes the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the current best projected case, the production of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, through approaches like voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
These medications replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase satiety so users eat less.
Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence indicates people may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the drug, when their normal appetite resume.
To be overweight or obese elevates your risk for contracting health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
