WHO Sounds Alert Over Critical Scarcity of Weight-Loss Medications
Less than 10% of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and continuous care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to universal availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the current most optimistic case, the supply of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to increase availability, by measures such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost satiety so users eat less.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to people may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the drug, when their normal appetite come back.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
