The Global Health Body Issues Alert Over Critical Lack of Obesity Medications

Less than a tenth of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.

Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.

Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.

"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to widespread availability to the injections that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the agency.

GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity

Even under the current best projected outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.

The recommendation urges countries and companies to increase access, through approaches including licensing agreements.

The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.

How Obesity Jabs Work

GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.

Patients usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.

Studies points to users may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the medication, when their typical food cravings resume.

Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for experiencing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.

Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.