World Health Organization Raises Alert Over Critical Lack of Obesity Jabs

Less than 10% of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it publishes its initial recommendations on the therapies.

Given more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.

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

"The new guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant obstacles to broad access to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the agency.

GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis

Even in the current most favorable outlook, the supply of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.

The advice urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through approaches like patent sharing.

A patent on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Injections Function

These medications mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost satiety so individuals reduce food intake.

People commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.

Evidence points to users may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the medication, as their typical food cravings return.

To be carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for contracting health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.

Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.