The Global Health Body Sounds Warning Over Acute Lack of Weight-Loss Jabs
Fewer than one in 10 patients that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it issues its initial guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and continuous care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the present most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to widen access, by measures including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Function
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence points to people may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the medication, when their usual food cravings come back.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
