The Global Health Body Sounds Alert Over Severe Shortage of Weight-Loss Injections

Less than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it publishes its initial guidance on the medications.

With over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging increased and just access to this class of drugs.

Per projections, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.

"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and continuous support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, explains the agency.

Skinny Jab Supply Crisis

Even under the current most favorable outlook, the production of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.

The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to widen availability, by approaches such as voluntary licensing.

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

The Way Obesity Jabs Work

GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost satiety so people eat less.

People commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.

Studies points to users may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the treatment, because their usual hunger come back.

Being above a healthy weight increases your risk for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.

Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.