The Global Health Body Raises Concern Over Severe Shortage of Obesity Injections

Fewer than a tenth of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it releases its inaugural advice on the drugs.

Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.

Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.

"Our new guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift significant body mass, explains the agency.

Skinny Jab Scarcity

Even under the present most favorable case, the production of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.

The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through strategies including licensing agreements.

A patent on a key compound – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate

These medications mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.

Individuals commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.

Evidence indicates people may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the treatment, because their usual hunger return.

To be carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.

Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.