World Health Organization Sounds Alert Over Acute Shortage of Weight-Loss Injections
Less than one in 10 people that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to universal access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the present most optimistic case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to widen access, through strategies including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to people may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the drug, because their normal appetite return.
To be overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
