Less than a tenth of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and ongoing care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to widespread availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the present most optimistic case, the supply of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to widen access, via approaches including patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase satiety so people consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence points to users may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the drug, when their normal food cravings return.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
