The Global Health Body Issues Alert Over Severe Scarcity of Weight-Loss Medications
Fewer than a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the medications.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to widespread availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen availability, via strategies including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance satiety so users consume fewer calories.
People commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests users may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the treatment, as their normal hunger come back.
Being above a healthy weight increases your risk for experiencing diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
