The Global Health Body Raises Alert Over Severe Lack of Obesity Medications

Fewer than 10% of individuals who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its first advice on the medications.

With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.

According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.

"The latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and continuous support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to broad access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, says the body.

Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity

Even in the present best projected outlook, the supply of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.

The recommendation urges governments and firms to expand access, through approaches such as licensing agreements.

The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.

The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function

The injections mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.

People commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the weekly injections.

Evidence points to people may see weight return within a year of halting the medication, because their typical hunger come back.

Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for developing health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.

Excess weight concerns people in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.