WHO says vital obesity drugs like Mounjaro are in short supply, and millions cannot access them
The World Health Organisation has issued a serious warning that the global effort to curb rising obesity rates is being slowed by a major shortage of the very medications that have shown exceptional promise in helping people lose significant amounts of weight. Treatments such as Mounjaro and other GLP-1 therapies are now widely recognised as highly effective, yet they remain available to only a small fraction of those who could benefit from them.
According to the WHO, limited manufacturing capacity means that only around 100 million people across the world can currently receive GLP-1 weight loss drugs. This represents no more than one-tenth of the one billion people who are considered clinically obese today. The organisation forecasts that global obesity levels will reach two billion individuals by the year 2030. Alongside this dramatic rise, the economic costs linked to obesity are projected to reach three trillion dollars, placing immense pressure on health systems and national budgets.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the WHO, described GLP-1 medications as the beginning of a new chapter in the treatment of obesity and the many serious illnesses associated with it. He stressed their potential to improve health outcomes for millions, but warned that the full benefits cannot be realised unless supply issues are addressed urgently. While he acknowledged that medicine alone will never fully resolve the obesity crisis, he noted that these treatments can play a significant role in reducing harm for those living with chronic obesity.
The WHO has set out its views in a detailed communication aimed at healthcare professionals, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This statement outlines the organisation’s position that GLP-1 therapies represent not only a scientific breakthrough but also a shift in how society understands obesity. Rather than viewing it purely as a matter of lifestyle choice, the WHO considers obesity a complex and preventable chronic disease that can be treated with the right mix of medical and behavioural support.
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The statement was authored by Francesca Celletti, Luz De Regil and Dr Jeremy Farrar, all senior figures within the organisation. Dr Farrar noted that medical evidence increasingly supports the idea that GLP-1 drugs can lower the risk of several dangerous conditions, including heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea, high blood pressure and serious kidney or arterial disease. These benefits, he said, strengthen the case for expanding access to treatment.
However, the WHO warns that three major barriers must be overcome for these medications to reach everyone who needs them. The first challenge is manufacturing. Current production levels are not even close to meeting global demand, and the high prices charged by pharmaceutical companies make access especially difficult for people living in the world’s poorest countries.
The second challenge relates to the ability of health systems to provide medicines safely and consistently. Even in countries with well-funded healthcare, services are not yet prepared for the scale of demand. Clinicians need more training, supply chains need strengthening and long-term monitoring must be put in place.
The third barrier is the ongoing struggle to achieve universal access to healthcare. Without strong and equitable health systems, millions of people will continue to miss out on treatment.
The WHO also emphasised that GLP-1 drugs must be part of a broader programme of support. Patients should receive guidance on healthy eating, physical activity and lifestyle choices to ensure that the benefits of treatment are maintained. Pregnant women, the organisation warned, should not use these medicines under any circumstances.
In the United Kingdom, Katherine Jenner of the Obesity Health Alliance noted that access to the drugs is still limited, supply remains fragile, and NHS use is tightly controlled. She added that most people regain weight once they stop using the medication, and warned that medicating a large portion of the population indefinitely is neither practical nor safe.
