World Health Organization Raises Alert Over Severe Lack of Weight-Loss Injections

Under a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it releases its first recommendations on the drugs.

With over a billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is calling for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.

According to projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.

"Our latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and lifelong treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to broad availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the agency.

Skinny Jab Scarcity

Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.

The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through measures including voluntary licensing.

A patent on the active ingredient – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.

The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function

These medications mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase satiety so people consume fewer calories.

Patients typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.

Research suggests users may see weight return a year later of stopping the drug, because their typical food cravings return.

To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for experiencing health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.

Excess weight concerns people in every country and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.