WHO Issues Concern Over Acute Shortage of Obesity Injections
Fewer than 10% of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and ongoing care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present best projected case, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to increase access, through approaches like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Function
These medications replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Patients commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research suggests people may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the medication, because their usual hunger resume.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in every country and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
