WHO warning over shortage of obesity jabs

The World Health Organization has issued its first guidance on the drugs, warning that fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from obesity drugs like Vegovi are able to get them.

With more than a billion people worldwide now suffering from obesity, there are calls for more widespread and equitable access to the GLP-1 drug.

According to estimates, if action is not taken, more than two billion people will be obese by 2030.

WHO says high costs, limited production capacity and supply-chain barriers are major barriers to universal access to injections that can help people achieve significant weight change.

It has already included them in its list of “essential” medicines that countries are advised to provide.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “Our new guidance recognizes that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care.

“Although medicine alone will not solve this global health crisis, GLP-1 therapy could help millions of people overcome obesity and reduce the harms associated with it.”

WHO says these drugs, sometimes called skinny jabs, represent a new chapter in the gradual conceptual shift in the way society views obesity from a “lifestyle condition” to a complex, preventable and treatable chronic disease.

It says the drugs can be taken for long periods of time – up to six months or longer – but they should be prescribed along with advice on diet and exercise, so people can keep the weight off.

WHO says that very few people around the world have access to these. “Our biggest concern is equitable access,” Tedros said.

Even under the current best-projected scenario, according to WHO, production of GLP-1 therapy could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need it.

The guidelines call on countries and companies to expand access through strategies such as voluntary licensing – where a pharmaceutical company allows others to make affordable off-brand versions of its patented medicine.

A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk’s Vegovy – is set to expire in several countries in 2026, meaning other drugmakers will soon be free to produce and sell cheaper versions in places like India, Canada, China, Brazil and Turkey.

WHO says countries must also create healthy environments to promote good health and prevent obesity.

GLP-1 drugs mimic a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce appetite, and increase feelings of fullness so people eat less.

In the UK, injections are prescription only medicines, meaning they can only be prescribed by a healthcare professional to a person who medically needs it.

Some are available on the NHS, but more are sold privately.

There is a black market and to be safe people should avoid buying from unregulated sellers like beauty salons or social media.

People usually begin to lose weight within a few weeks of starting weekly injections.

Research shows that people can gain most of their weight back within a year of stopping the drug, as their normal food cravings return.

Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

According to WHO, obesity affects people in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024.