World Health Organization Raises Concern Over Critical Scarcity of Weight-Loss Medications

Fewer than 10% of patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it issues its first recommendations on the medications.

With over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging increased and just access to this class of drugs.

Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.

"The latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to universal availability to the jabs that can help people shift considerable body mass, explains the organization.

GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis

Even in the current most favorable outlook, the production of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.

The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to widen access, by measures including voluntary licensing.

A patent on semaglutide – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.

The Way Obesity Jabs Operate

The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.

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

Research points to patients may see weight return within a year of halting the drug, as their usual appetite resume.

To be overweight or obese elevates your risk for experiencing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.

Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.