Less than 10% of patients that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial guidance on the medications.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and continuous support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, explains the agency.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, via approaches such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Patients usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates users may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their typical hunger come back.
Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
