WHO Sounds Concern Over Severe Scarcity of Obesity Injections
Less than 10% of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its first guidance on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
According to projections, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and ongoing treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to universal access to the jabs that can help people shift significant weight, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the current best projected scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen availability, via measures including licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Function
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the treatment, as their normal hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your chance for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
