Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its first advice on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and lifelong treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift significant weight, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even in the current most optimistic scenario, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, via approaches like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
These medications imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Patients commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests users may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the drug, as their typical food cravings resume.
To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
