🔗 Share this article World Health Organization Sounds Warning Over Critical Shortage of Obesity Jabs Fewer than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it releases its first advice on the drugs. Given more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication. Based on projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken. "Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the body. Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity Even in the present most favorable outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization. The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to widen availability, through measures including voluntary licensing. The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026. The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories. Individuals commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses. Studies indicates patients may see weight return within a year of halting the medication, when their usual food cravings return. Being overweight or obese raises your risk for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers. Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
Fewer than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it releases its first advice on the drugs. Given more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication. Based on projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken. "Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the body. Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity Even in the present most favorable outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization. The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to widen availability, through measures including voluntary licensing. The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026. The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories. Individuals commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses. Studies indicates patients may see weight return within a year of halting the medication, when their usual food cravings return. Being overweight or obese raises your risk for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers. Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.