World Health Organization Raises Warning Over Acute Scarcity of Obesity Medications

Fewer than 10% of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it issues its first guidance on the drugs.

With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.

According to projections, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.

"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to universal access to the injections that can help people shift considerable body mass, explains the body.

Skinny Jab Shortage

Even under the current best projected case, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.

The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen availability, by approaches such as patent sharing.

Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.

How Obesity Injections Work

The injections replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so individuals eat less.

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

Evidence indicates users may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the medication, when their usual hunger resume.

Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for experiencing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.

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