World Health Organization Raises Concern Over Critical Lack of Weight-Loss Injections

Less than one in 10 patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its first guidance on the drugs.

Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.

Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.

"The new guidelines affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, notes the organization.

Weight-Loss Drug Shortage

Even in the current most favorable outlook, the production of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.

The guideline urges governments and firms to increase access, through approaches including licensing agreements.

A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.

The Way Obesity Drugs Function

These medications mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so individuals reduce food intake.

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

Evidence indicates people may put most of the weight back on a year later of halting the medication, when their typical hunger come back.

Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for experiencing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.

Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.