World Health Organization Raises Concern Over Severe Lack of Weight-Loss Injections
Under 10% of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it releases its inaugural advice on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and lifelong care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present best projected scenario, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The advice urges governments and firms to expand access, through measures including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests people may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the drug, as their normal hunger resume.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.