The Global Health Body Issues Warning Over Severe Scarcity of Weight-Loss Jabs

Fewer than a tenth of people that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its first recommendations on the drugs.

Given over a billion people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.

Based on forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.

"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and lifelong care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, explains the agency.

Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis

Despite the present best projected outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.

The advice calls on countries and companies to expand availability, via strategies such as voluntary licensing.

A patent on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.

How Obesity Drugs Operate

These medications imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.

People typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.

Studies indicates patients may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the drug, because their usual appetite resume.

To be overweight or obese elevates your chance for contracting health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.

Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.