WHO Issues Alert Over Acute Scarcity of Obesity Injections
Fewer than a tenth of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the medications.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major barriers to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to expand availability, via approaches including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
People typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the medication, because their normal food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your chance for contracting diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.