Under one in 10 individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it issues its first advice on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Despite the present most favorable scenario, the supply of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The advice encourages governments and firms to expand availability, through strategies such as patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
Patients typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests people may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the medication, when their normal appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for developing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
