World Health Organization Issues Alert Over Severe Lack of Weight-Loss Jabs

Under one in 10 people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it publishes its initial guidance on the drugs.

With over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.

According to projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.

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

Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, says the agency.

Skinny Jab Supply Crisis

Despite the present most optimistic case, the production of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.

The advice calls on governments and firms to widen availability, via strategies such as licensing agreements.

The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Drugs Work

GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so users eat less.

Individuals commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.

Research suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the drug, because their typical appetite return.

To be overweight or obese increases your chance for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.

Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.