World Health Organization Raises Warning Over Acute Shortage of Obesity Jabs
Less than 10% of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its first guidance on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable case, the supply of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to increase availability, through measures such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so individuals eat less.
Patients usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to people may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the medication, because their typical appetite resume.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
