The Global Health Body Raises Concern Over Acute Lack of Weight-Loss Jabs

Under 10% of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its initial advice on the therapies.

With over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.

Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.

"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, notes the body.

Weight-Loss Drug Shortage

Even under the present best projected case, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.

The advice urges governments and firms to increase availability, through strategies like patent sharing.

A patent on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.

How Obesity Injections Function

GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance satiety so individuals eat less.

People usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.

Research points to users may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the treatment, when their typical hunger resume.

To be above a healthy weight raises your risk for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.

Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.