WHO Sounds Warning Over Severe Lack of Obesity Injections

Under a tenth of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it publishes its first guidance on the therapies.

Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging increased and just availability to this class of drugs.

Based on forecasts, over two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.

"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and continuous care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the organization.

Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity

Even under the current most optimistic outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.

The guideline encourages governments and firms to widen access, via strategies such as licensing agreements.

The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.

The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work

GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals eat less.

Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.

Studies suggests users may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, as their normal food cravings resume.

Being overweight or obese raises your likelihood for experiencing diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.

Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.