WHO Issues Concern Over Critical Shortage of Obesity Medications

Under one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it releases its inaugural advice on the drugs.

With more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.

According to forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.

"The latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, notes the agency.

Skinny Jab Scarcity

Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.

The advice calls on governments and firms to widen availability, via measures like patent sharing.

The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.

How Obesity Injections Work

The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.

Patients commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.

Evidence suggests people may see weight return after a year of halting the treatment, when their typical hunger resume.

To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for contracting health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.

Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.