WHO Sounds Concern Over Critical Scarcity of Obesity Jabs

Less than one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.

Given more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.

Per projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.

"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to widespread availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the agency.

GLP-1 Therapy Shortage

Despite the present most optimistic scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.

The guideline encourages countries and companies to increase access, through approaches such as licensing agreements.

Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Drugs Function

GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so people eat less.

Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.

Evidence indicates patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the medication, when their normal hunger resume.

To be above a healthy weight elevates your chance for experiencing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.

Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.