Fewer than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it publishes its first advice on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Per forecasts, over two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, says the body.
Skinny Jab Shortage
Even under the current most favorable case, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to expand access, via measures including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users eat less.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates people may see weight return after a year of stopping the treatment, because their usual appetite resume.
To be overweight or obese increases your likelihood for experiencing diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
