World Health Organization Sounds Alert Over Severe Scarcity of Weight-Loss Medications

Fewer than 10% of individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the medications.

With over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.

Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.

"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and continuous treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, notes the body.

Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis

Even under the current most optimistic outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.

The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to expand access, by measures including patent sharing.

A patent on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.

The Way Obesity Drugs Operate

These medications replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.

Individuals usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.

Studies suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the medication, as their usual hunger return.

Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for experiencing health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.

Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.