Under one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its first recommendations on the medications.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and lifelong treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to widespread availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the current best projected outlook, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The advice urges countries and companies to widen availability, via strategies including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence suggests users may see weight return within a year of halting the treatment, when their normal food cravings come back.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your risk for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
