World Health Organization Issues Alert Over Severe Shortage of Obesity Medications

Fewer than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the medications.

With over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.

Based on forecasts, over two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.

"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, notes the body.

GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis

Even under the current best projected case, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.

The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, by strategies like licensing agreements.

A patent on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Drugs Function

These medications imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so people eat less.

Patients typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.

Evidence indicates patients may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the drug, because their normal hunger return.

Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.

Obesity concerns people in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.