Under 10% of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its first recommendations on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even in the present most favorable case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline urges governments and firms to expand availability, through approaches such as patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to users may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the medication, when their typical appetite return.
Being overweight or obese elevates your chance for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
