World Health Organization Raises Warning Over Critical Shortage of Obesity Injections
Under a tenth of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its initial advice on the medications.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable case, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to widen availability, via strategies like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.
Individuals typically start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the medication, as their normal appetite resume.
To be overweight or obese raises your risk for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
