World Health Organization Sounds Concern Over Critical Shortage of Weight-Loss Jabs
Under one in 10 individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the current best projected scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via measures like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so users eat less.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to users may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their normal appetite come back.
Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for developing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
