WHO Issues Alert Over Acute Lack of Weight-Loss Injections

Under 10% of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its initial advice on the medications.

With over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.

Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.

"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to universal access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, notes the organization.

Skinny Jab Scarcity

Even under the current most favorable outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.

The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to increase access, by measures such as licensing agreements.

The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.

The Way Obesity Injections Work

These medications mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance satiety so individuals reduce food intake.

Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.

Studies suggests users may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their normal food cravings return.

Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for developing health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.

Obesity affects people in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.