Under 10% of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to broad access to the injections that can help people shift considerable body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to increase availability, by measures including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase satiety so individuals eat less.
Patients usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research points to users may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the drug, when their usual food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your risk for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
