🔗 Share this article WHO Raises Concern Over Critical Shortage of Obesity Jabs Less than one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs. Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs. Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention. "The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to universal access to the injections that can help people shift significant body mass, says the organization. GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity Even in the present most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO. The recommendation urges countries and companies to widen availability, through measures like patent sharing. A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026. The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work The injections replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so individuals reduce food intake. People typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs. Research indicates people may see weight return after a year of stopping the drug, as their usual food cravings come back. To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for contracting diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
Less than one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs. Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs. Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention. "The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to universal access to the injections that can help people shift significant body mass, says the organization. GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity Even in the present most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO. The recommendation urges countries and companies to widen availability, through measures like patent sharing. A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026. The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work The injections replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so individuals reduce food intake. People typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs. Research indicates people may see weight return after a year of stopping the drug, as their usual food cravings come back. To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for contracting diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.