World Health Organization Sounds Warning Over Severe Lack of Obesity Injections

Less than a tenth of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.

Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.

Per estimates, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.

"The new guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and continuous support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to widespread availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, explains the agency.

Skinny Jab Supply Crisis

Even in the present most favorable case, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.

The advice encourages governments and firms to increase access, by strategies like patent sharing.

A patent on a key compound – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.

The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate

GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so individuals reduce food intake.

Patients commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.

Studies suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their normal appetite resume.

To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.

Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.