WHO Raises Alert Over Acute Scarcity of Obesity Injections

Under a tenth of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it releases its first recommendations on the therapies.

Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.

According to forecasts, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.

"Our latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and lifelong support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, notes the agency.

Skinny Jab Shortage

Even under the current most favorable case, the supply of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.

The advice urges countries and companies to increase availability, through measures like licensing agreements.

The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Drugs Function

GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.

People typically start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.

Evidence indicates users may see weight return after a year of halting the treatment, as their typical hunger return.

To be overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.

Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.