World Health Organization Raises Alert Over Severe Scarcity of Obesity Jabs

Less than 10% of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it publishes its first recommendations on the medications.

With over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging increased and just access to this class of drugs.

Per forecasts, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.

"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to universal access to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the body.

GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity

Even in the current best projected scenario, the production of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.

The advice calls on governments and firms to expand access, by strategies such as licensing agreements.

Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Jabs Function

GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost satiety so people consume fewer calories.

Patients commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.

Evidence points to patients may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their normal appetite come back.

Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.

Excess weight impacts people in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.