World Health Organization Sounds Concern Over Acute Scarcity of Obesity Injections

Under a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its initial recommendations on the medications.

Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.

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

"The latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and lifelong treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the organization.

Weight-Loss Drug Shortage

Even in the present most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.

The advice calls on governments and firms to expand access, via approaches such as patent sharing.

A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.

The Way Obesity Jabs Operate

These medications mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so individuals reduce food intake.

People commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.

Evidence points to people may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the treatment, as their normal food cravings return.

To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for experiencing medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.

Obesity affects people in every country and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.