WHO Issues Warning Over Severe Shortage of Obesity Jabs
Less than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its initial recommendations on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to universal availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial weight, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the present most optimistic scenario, the production of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to increase access, through strategies including voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost satiety so people consume fewer calories.
People usually see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates users may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the treatment, when their normal hunger come back.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your risk for experiencing medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
