WHO Raises Concern Over Severe Lack of Weight-Loss Injections

Less than one in 10 patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it publishes its initial recommendations on the medications.

With more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.

Per estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.

"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can help people shift considerable weight, says the agency.

Weight-Loss Drug Shortage

Despite the present best projected case, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.

The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to widen availability, by measures including licensing agreements.

The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of a leading brand – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.

How Obesity Jabs Operate

GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase satiety so people eat less.

Patients usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.

Evidence points to users may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their typical food cravings resume.

Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for developing health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.

Excess weight impacts people in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.