The Global Health Body Raises Alert Over Acute Scarcity of Obesity Jabs
Fewer than a tenth of individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it issues its inaugural advice on the medications.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to universal access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable scenario, the production of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to increase access, via strategies such as patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so people eat less.
People typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies indicates users may regain a significant portion a year later of halting the drug, when their usual food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
