The Global Health Body Sounds Warning Over Acute Shortage of Weight-Loss Medications

Fewer than a tenth of people that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it releases its first recommendations on the drugs.

With over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.

According to forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.

"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and ongoing support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant obstacles to broad availability to the injections that can help people shift considerable body mass, notes the body.

Skinny Jab Shortage

Even under the current most optimistic case, the supply of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.

The advice encourages countries and companies to widen availability, via strategies including voluntary licensing.

Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.

How Obesity Drugs Work

These medications mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase satiety so users consume fewer calories.

People commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.

Evidence indicates patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their typical hunger resume.

To be carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for experiencing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.

Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.