The Global Health Body Sounds Warning Over Critical Scarcity of Weight-Loss Jabs

Less than 10% of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it releases its initial advice on the therapies.

Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.

Based on forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.

"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and lifelong support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the body.

Weight-Loss Drug Shortage

Despite the current most favorable outlook, the production of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.

The advice encourages governments and firms to widen access, by strategies such as licensing agreements.

A patent on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.

How Obesity Jabs Work

GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.

People usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.

Research points to patients may regain a significant portion a year later of halting the medication, because their typical food cravings return.

Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.

Excess weight impacts people in every country and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.