WHO Raises Alert Over Severe Scarcity of Weight-Loss Jabs
Under 10% of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it releases its initial guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to widespread access to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the organization.
Skinny Jab Supply Crisis
Even under the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to widen availability, by measures like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Operate
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
Individuals typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research indicates people may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the medication, when their usual hunger return.
Being overweight or obese increases your chance for experiencing diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
