World Health Organization Raises Warning Over Severe Shortage of Weight-Loss Medications
Fewer than one in 10 people that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and lifelong care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the current most optimistic outlook, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through approaches including licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
People commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research points to people may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the medication, because their normal appetite resume.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your chance for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
