Can semaglutides balance out the inherent flaws in the U.S. health care system? If you think the answer is Yes, send $10 to this address …
By 
I think semaglutides (Ozempic and similar) have officially achieved that status of Miracle Drug. In the short term that’s bad news for people who need the drug, and anyone perceived as fat.
In the long term, it means one day I will reread an advertorial like this and get annoyed all over again.
The widespread use of powerful new weight-loss drugs in the United States could boost gross domestic product by 1% in the coming years as lower obesity-related complications are likely to boost workplace efficiency, according to Goldman Sachs.
[]
The class of drugs, called GLP-1 agonists, are being keenly pursued by several companies and more could enter the market depending on clinical trials. The use of GLP-1s could increase by anywhere between 10 to 70 million consumers by 2028, Goldman Sachs said on Thursday.
“If GLP-1 usage ultimately increases by this amount and results in lower obesity rates, we see scope for significant spillovers to the broader economy,” Goldman economists said in a note.
That would be a lot of ifs and expectations for a weight-loss drug in one of those commiesocialist countries that provide universal health coverage. In the U.S., where people with insulin-dependent diabetes and allergies that trigger anaphylaxis have been sickened or killed by price gouging, it is FUCKING. ABSURD.
There have been shortages because providers wrote prescriptions for patients who wanted to get thinner quicker. Result: People who use the drugs to manage Type 2 Diabetes or obesity get boned. I wonder how that affects worker productivity?
As an aside, I can’t blame people who want the miracle drug du jour for esthetic reasons. We live in a society that has a huge problem with weight. The people with the prescription pads – they need to spine up and say no.
And manufacturers are raising their prices, which might lower demand by people who pay for it out of pocket but also might will cause health insurance carriers to raise their costs.
Another thing that over-excited coverage about the drugs ignores is a common side effect. Loss of muscle mass. That’s bad. Especially for people who are also experiencing age-related muscle loss. You need your muscles. Strength training and diet can mitigate the problem, but the person taking the drug has to do the exercises and eat the food.
Ideally, the prescription is just one part of a complete treatment plan that includes watching for muscle loss. But ideally, I would have a pony.
