World Health Organization Sounds Concern Over Critical Shortage of Weight-Loss Injections

Less than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its inaugural guidance on the drugs.

Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.

Per forecasts, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.

"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and continuous treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, explains the agency.

Skinny Jab Supply Crisis

Despite the present most favorable outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.

The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to increase access, by approaches like voluntary licensing.

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

How Weight-Loss Injections Function

These medications replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so users eat less.

People typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.

Evidence indicates people may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the medication, as their typical appetite resume.

Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for developing health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.

Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.