WHO Issues Warning Over Acute Shortage of Obesity Medications

Less than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it publishes its initial guidance on the drugs.

With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now 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 obese by 2030 if no action is taken.

"Our latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, explains the body.

Skinny Jab Supply Crisis

Even in the current best projected case, the production of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.

The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to increase availability, via strategies like patent sharing.

A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Drugs Work

These medications imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so people eat less.

People usually see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.

Studies indicates people may see weight return after a year of halting the treatment, because their normal hunger resume.

To be overweight or obese raises your risk for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.

Obesity impacts people in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.