World Health Organization Sounds Alert Over Severe Scarcity of Obesity Jabs

Fewer than a tenth of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the medications.

With over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.

Based on estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.

"Our new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and ongoing treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, says the agency.

Weight-Loss Drug Shortage

Even under the current best projected scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.

The guideline urges governments and firms to widen access, through measures such as licensing agreements.

A patent on the active ingredient – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Drugs Work

GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.

Individuals typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.

Studies indicates users may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the treatment, as their typical hunger return.

To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.

Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.