Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it issues its first guidance on the medications.
Given over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and continuous care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, explains the agency.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected outlook, the supply of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, via measures including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Function
The injections replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Research indicates patients may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the drug, as their normal appetite come back.
To be overweight or obese increases your risk for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
