WHO Raises Concern Over Severe Lack of Obesity Medications

Fewer than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its first guidance on the therapies.

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

Per forecasts, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.

"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and continuous treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to universal access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, says the agency.

GLP-1 Therapy Shortage

Even under the current most optimistic outlook, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.

The advice urges countries and companies to expand access, via strategies such as patent sharing.

Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate

The injections replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so individuals eat less.

Individuals usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.

Evidence suggests people may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the treatment, as their typical food cravings return.

Being overweight or obese raises your likelihood for developing diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.

Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.