World Health Organization Issues Alert Over Acute Scarcity of Obesity Injections

Under 10% of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it publishes its initial advice on the therapies.

With more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.

Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.

"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to universal availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the body.

GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity

Even in the present best projected scenario, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.

The recommendation encourages governments and firms to expand availability, by approaches like licensing agreements.

The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.

How Obesity Injections Function

GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.

People usually start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.

Studies suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, when their usual food cravings resume.

Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for developing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.

Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.