WHO Issues Alert Over Severe Scarcity of Weight-Loss Jabs

Fewer than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it releases its inaugural advice on the medications.

With more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.

According to projections, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.

"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and ongoing treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to universal access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, explains the organization.

Skinny Jab Shortage

Even in the present most favorable case, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.

The advice encourages countries and companies to widen access, through approaches including licensing agreements.

A patent on semaglutide – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.

The Way Obesity Drugs Operate

The injections imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost satiety so users reduce food intake.

Individuals usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.

Evidence indicates users may see weight return after a year of stopping the treatment, when their normal food cravings resume.

Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for experiencing health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.

Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.