The Global Health Body Sounds Warning Over Acute Lack of Weight-Loss Medications

Fewer than 10% of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it releases its initial recommendations on the therapies.

Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.

Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.

"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and continuous support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, says the body.

Skinny Jab Scarcity

Even under the current best projected scenario, the production of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.

The advice calls on countries and companies to increase availability, by strategies including patent sharing.

Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Injections Function

The injections imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so users eat less.

Patients typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.

Studies suggests users may see weight return within a year of stopping the drug, when their usual food cravings return.

Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for developing health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.

Excess weight affects people in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.