Less than a tenth of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it issues its initial advice on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and ongoing treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to universal access to the injections that can help people shift significant weight, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current most optimistic scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via measures like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections mimick a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so users consume fewer calories.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates users may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their usual appetite resume.
To be above a healthy weight raises your risk for experiencing diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
