Less than a tenth of people that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.
With over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per projections, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and ongoing treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to universal availability to the injections that can help people shift considerable weight, notes the body.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic case, the production of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The advice calls on governments and firms to increase availability, by strategies such as licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates users may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the treatment, as their usual appetite resume.
To be overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
