WHO Issues Warning Over Severe Shortage of Obesity Injections

Under a tenth of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it issues its initial advice on the therapies.

With over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.

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

"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and ongoing treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to universal access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the agency.

GLP-1 Therapy Shortage

Despite the current best projected case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.

The advice encourages countries and companies to increase availability, by strategies such as patent sharing.

Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Injections Function

The injections replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so users eat less.

Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.

Research points to patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the treatment, as their typical appetite resume.

Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for developing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.

Obesity affects individuals in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.