Less than 10% of individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and lifelong care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to broad access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the present most optimistic outlook, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to widen access, through strategies such as licensing agreements.
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
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research suggests people may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the treatment, as their normal food cravings come back.
To be carrying excess weight increases your chance for contracting health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
