WHO Sounds Concern Over Severe Scarcity of Weight-Loss Jabs

Under a tenth of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it issues its first advice on the therapies.

Given more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.

Per forecasts, over two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.

"Our latest guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, says the body.

Skinny Jab Shortage

Even in the current best projected case, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.

The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to widen access, through strategies including patent sharing.

A patent on a key compound – the main component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.

The Way Obesity Drugs Function

GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.

Individuals typically start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.

Research indicates users may see weight return a year later of stopping the treatment, because their usual appetite return.

To be overweight or obese increases your likelihood for contracting health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.

Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.