Less than a tenth of patients that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it issues its inaugural guidance on the medications.
Given more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and continuous care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the current most favorable case, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice calls on countries and companies to increase access, through strategies like voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Operate
The injections mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Individuals usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies indicates users may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the medication, as their normal appetite come back.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for experiencing health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
