WHO Raises Concern Over Critical Shortage of Weight-Loss Jabs

Under one in 10 people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.

Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.

Per estimates, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.

"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, says the agency.

GLP-1 Therapy Shortage

Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the production of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.

The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, via measures like voluntary licensing.

The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.

The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate

The injections imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.

Patients usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.

Evidence suggests patients may see weight return within a year of halting the medication, because their normal food cravings resume.

Being above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for contracting health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.

Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.