The Global Health Body Issues Warning Over Severe Shortage of Obesity Injections
Under a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it issues its inaugural advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
Per forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, says the agency.
Skinny Jab Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The advice encourages countries and companies to expand availability, through strategies including voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research indicates users may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the treatment, when their normal hunger come back.
To be carrying excess weight increases your chance for contracting medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
