The Global Health Body Issues Warning Over Severe Scarcity of Weight-Loss Injections

Less than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the medications.

With more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging increased and just access to these injectable treatments.

According to estimates, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.

"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and continuous treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to widespread availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the body.

GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis

Despite the current most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.

The advice urges countries and companies to expand access, by approaches such as licensing agreements.

Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Injections Work

The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.

Individuals typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.

Evidence indicates patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the treatment, when their typical appetite resume.

Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for experiencing health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.

Excess weight concerns individuals in all nations and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.