Less than 10% of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial recommendations on the therapies.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to widespread access to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Despite the current most optimistic case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to widen availability, via measures including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
People typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to people may see weight return within a year of halting the medication, as their usual hunger resume.
To be overweight or obese increases your chance for developing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
