The Global Health Body Issues Warning Over Acute Shortage of Weight-Loss Jabs

Under 10% of patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.

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

According to projections, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.

"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and ongoing treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the organization.

Skinny Jab Scarcity

Despite the current best projected scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.

The guideline encourages countries and companies to increase access, by strategies such as patent sharing.

The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.

The Way Obesity Jabs Operate

These medications imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so people eat less.

Patients usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.

Evidence suggests people may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the drug, because their normal hunger return.

Being carrying excess weight raises your risk for contracting health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.

Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.