The Global Health Body Raises Alert Over Acute Scarcity of Weight-Loss Jabs

Less than one in 10 patients that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it releases its inaugural advice on the medications.

Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.

Per projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.

"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and continuous support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, notes the agency.

Skinny Jab Scarcity

Despite the current most optimistic outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.

The advice calls on governments and firms to increase availability, by approaches such as licensing agreements.

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

The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function

These medications replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.

Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.

Research points to users may see weight return within a year of stopping the treatment, as their usual food cravings come back.

Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing health problems, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.

Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.