World Health Organization Issues Warning Over Severe Scarcity of Weight-Loss Medications

Under 10% of patients that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its first recommendations on the drugs.

Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.

According to projections, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.

"The latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and ongoing care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to broad availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, says the agency.

Skinny Jab Shortage

Even in the present most favorable outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.

The recommendation calls on countries and companies to widen access, via approaches such as licensing agreements.

Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.

The Way Obesity Injections Work

The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost satiety so users eat less.

Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.

Evidence suggests patients may regain a significant portion a year later of halting the medication, as their usual food cravings resume.

To be carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.

Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.