World Health Organization Sounds Alert Over Critical Scarcity of Obesity Medications

Less than a tenth of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the drugs.

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

Based on projections, over two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.

"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to widespread access to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the organization.

GLP-1 Therapy Shortage

Even in the present best projected outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.

The guideline calls on countries and companies to widen availability, via approaches like licensing agreements.

A patent on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.

How Weight-Loss Injections Operate

The injections imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so users eat less.

People usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.

Evidence suggests people may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the treatment, when their normal hunger return.

To be above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.

Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.