World Health Organization Sounds Concern Over Critical Scarcity of Weight-Loss Injections
Less than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it issues its initial recommendations on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and continuous treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to universal access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the current most favorable scenario, the production of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via approaches such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost satiety so individuals eat less.
Patients typically start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research indicates people may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their usual appetite come back.
To be overweight or obese raises your chance for developing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.