The Global Health Body Issues Concern Over Critical Lack of Weight-Loss Jabs

Under a tenth of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it issues its initial recommendations on the drugs.

With over a billion people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.

Based on projections, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.

"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to broad access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, explains the organization.

GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis

Even under the present most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.

The guideline calls on governments and firms to expand access, by strategies including patent sharing.

A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.

The Way Obesity Injections Function

GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase satiety so users eat less.

Patients commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.

Evidence suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the medication, when their usual food cravings resume.

Being overweight or obese raises your chance for developing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.

Excess weight concerns people in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.