World Health Organization Raises Alert Over Severe Shortage of Weight-Loss Jabs
Under one in 10 people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it releases its first advice on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and lifelong treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable case, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to expand access, via approaches including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Patients usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies points to patients may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the medication, as their typical hunger return.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
