WHO Raises Warning Over Acute Scarcity of Obesity Jabs

Fewer than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its first recommendations on the therapies.

With over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.

According to forecasts, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.

"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and continuous treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to broad availability to the jabs that can help people shift considerable body mass, explains the agency.

GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis

Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.

The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to increase access, through approaches like licensing agreements.

A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.

The Way Obesity Jabs Work

GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals eat less.

Individuals usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.

Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the drug, as their usual appetite resume.

Being overweight or obese elevates your chance for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.

Excess weight concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.