Fewer than 10% of people that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its initial advice on the medications.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, over two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant obstacles to broad availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial weight, explains the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic case, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to increase access, through strategies such as patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the core component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so users eat less.
People commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests users may see weight return a year later of stopping the treatment, when their normal food cravings come back.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your chance for experiencing diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
