The Global Health Body Raises Warning Over Acute Scarcity of Weight-Loss Jabs
Fewer than a tenth of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its inaugural guidance on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
According to projections, over two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through measures like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
People typically start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies indicates patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the medication, as their normal hunger return.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk for contracting health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
