🔗 Share this article The Global Health Body Raises Warning Over Critical Shortage of Weight-Loss Medications Less than one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it releases its initial recommendations on the medications. Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication. Based on projections, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention. "Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the body. Skinny Jab Shortage Even in the present most optimistic outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO. The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to increase access, via measures including patent sharing. Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026. The Way Obesity Drugs Work These medications imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so users eat less. People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections. Research points to patients may see weight return a year later of halting the treatment, because their normal appetite return. To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers. Excess weight affects people in every country and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
Less than one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it releases its initial recommendations on the medications. Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication. Based on projections, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention. "Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the body. Skinny Jab Shortage Even in the present most optimistic outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO. The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to increase access, via measures including patent sharing. Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026. The Way Obesity Drugs Work These medications imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so users eat less. People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections. Research points to patients may see weight return a year later of halting the treatment, because their normal appetite return. To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers. Excess weight affects people in every country and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.