WHO Sounds Warning Over Critical Scarcity of Weight-Loss Medications
Fewer than a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural advice on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
According to projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the current best projected scenario, the production of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, through strategies including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals reduce food intake.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests users may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the treatment, when their usual food cravings resume.
To be overweight or obese raises your risk for experiencing health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
