WHO Issues Concern Over Severe Lack of Weight-Loss Medications
Less than one in 10 patients who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its first advice on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and lifelong support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to broad availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present best projected scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice urges countries and companies to increase access, by measures such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase satiety so users consume fewer calories.
People typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the treatment, as their usual food cravings return.
To be carrying excess weight raises your chance for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
