World Health Organization Issues Alert Over Acute Scarcity of Obesity Jabs

Less than a tenth of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the medications.

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 could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.

"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad availability to the injections that can help people shift significant body mass, says the organization.

GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity

Despite the present best projected outlook, the supply of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.

The advice urges governments and firms to widen access, through measures like voluntary licensing.

A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.

The Way Obesity Drugs Work

The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.

People typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.

Studies points to patients may see weight return after a year of halting the drug, when their normal appetite return.

Being overweight or obese increases your chance for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.

Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.