Less than a tenth of individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it issues its first guidance on the drugs.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and lifelong care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to widespread access to the jabs that can help people shift significant weight, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current best projected case, the production of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to expand access, via strategies like voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Work
The injections mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
People usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates patients may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the medication, because their normal food cravings resume.
To be carrying excess weight raises your chance for experiencing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
