WHO Raises Alert Over Critical Lack of Obesity Medications
Less than a tenth of people that would benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it issues its first guidance on the medications.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and lifelong treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the present best projected outlook, the supply of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by approaches including voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
These medications replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence points to people may put most of the weight back on a year later of halting the medication, because their usual food cravings come back.
Being above a healthy weight increases your chance for contracting medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
