WHO Issues Alert Over Severe Scarcity of Obesity Medications
Fewer than one in 10 patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the medications.
With more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to universal availability to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the organization.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to widen availability, by approaches including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research suggests users may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their normal hunger come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your risk for developing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
