WHO Issues Warning Over Acute Lack of Weight-Loss Jabs

Under 10% of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its first advice on the medications.

With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.

Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 without intervention.

"Our new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, explains the organization.

GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis

Despite the current most favorable case, the production of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.

The guideline calls on countries and companies to expand access, through approaches including patent sharing.

Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Drugs Function

GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.

Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.

Studies indicates people may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their typical appetite resume.

Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for experiencing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.

Obesity affects individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.