Under a tenth of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and lifelong treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to universal access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Despite the present most optimistic outlook, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on countries and companies to expand access, through strategies including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary component of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to users may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the drug, as their usual appetite return.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for developing diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
