World Health Organization Issues Warning Over Acute Shortage of Weight-Loss Injections

Fewer than 10% of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it issues its first guidance on the therapies.

Considering over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.

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

"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and ongoing treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift significant weight, says the body.

GLP-1 Therapy Shortage

Despite the present best projected scenario, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.

The advice urges nations and manufacturers to increase access, by strategies like patent sharing.

The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.

How Obesity Jabs Operate

These medications mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase satiety so individuals reduce food intake.

Individuals typically start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.

Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their usual food cravings resume.

To be overweight or obese raises your chance for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.

Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.