WHO Raises Alert Over Critical Lack of Weight-Loss Jabs

Under a tenth of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it publishes its inaugural advice on the drugs.

Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.

Based on projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.

"The new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and lifelong support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to broad availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, explains the organization.

GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis

Even in the current most favorable case, the production of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.

The advice encourages governments and firms to increase availability, via strategies including licensing agreements.

A patent on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Injections Work

These medications imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.

People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.

Evidence suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their typical food cravings return.

Being overweight or obese raises your likelihood for developing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.

Excess weight concerns people in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.