WHO Issues Concern Over Severe Scarcity of Weight-Loss Medications

Fewer than 10% of patients that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it releases its first advice on the therapies.

Given over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.

Per forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.

"The new guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift significant body mass, says the body.

Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity

Despite the present most favorable scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.

The recommendation calls on governments and firms to increase access, through approaches like voluntary licensing.

A patent on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.

The Way Obesity Drugs Operate

These medications mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.

Patients usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.

Research points to users may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, when their usual food cravings come back.

Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for experiencing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.

Obesity affects people in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.