World Health Organization Raises Warning Over Severe Shortage of Weight-Loss Injections
Fewer than one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its first guidance on the drugs.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Based on estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and ongoing treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to widespread availability to the injections that can help people shift substantial weight, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the current best projected case, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, by approaches like licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so individuals eat less.
Patients typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence points to patients may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the drug, when their usual hunger come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for developing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
