Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it issues its initial advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
According to forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and continuous treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to widespread availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the present best projected outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand availability, through measures including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to people may see weight return after a year of halting the drug, when their normal hunger resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
