World Health Organization Issues Alert Over Severe Scarcity of Obesity Medications

Fewer than 10% of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it issues its first advice on the drugs.

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

According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.

"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, explains the agency.

Skinny Jab Scarcity

Even under the current best projected case, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.

The recommendation calls on countries and companies to widen availability, via approaches like patent sharing.

The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.

How Obesity Injections Function

The injections imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase satiety so users eat less.

Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.

Studies indicates people may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the drug, when their normal appetite come back.

To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for developing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.

Obesity affects individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.