The Global Health Body Sounds Concern Over Severe Lack of Obesity Injections

Under one in 10 people who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it issues its inaugural guidance on the drugs.

Given more than one billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.

Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.

"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and ongoing support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, explains the body.

Skinny Jab Shortage

Despite the current most optimistic case, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.

The guideline urges countries and companies to widen access, via approaches including patent sharing.

A patent on semaglutide – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.

The Way Obesity Jabs Work

These medications replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase satiety so users eat less.

People typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.

Studies points to patients may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the treatment, when their normal appetite resume.

Being above a healthy weight increases your chance for developing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.

Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.