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Eli Lilly releases data for a new weight-loss drug to tackle obesity : Shots - Health News : NPR

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This drug is a true gamechanger

In the SURMOUNT-1 study, people who took the highest dose of tirzepatide, most of whom had a BMI of about 30 or higher but did not have diabetes, lost about 21% of their body weight during the 72 week study. As researchers point out, for people who have bariatric surgery, typical weight loss is about 25% to 30% of their weight, one or two years after the surgery. In the tirzepatide study, 36% of people taking the highest dose lost 25% or more of their body weight.

this is comparable to bariatric surgery

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As NPR has reported, when patients can't afford to stay on obesity medications, they are likely to gain much of the weight back.

If I were Eli Lilly and Company, I would invest into food science, trying to make as many different hyperpalatable foods aimed at teenagers and young adults as possible. The more people have BMI of 30 by the time they are 30, the bigger the market for their drug is. Imagine the government first handing out food stamps to poor Americans, then paying for their obesity treatment via Medicaid.

Plenty of companies are already doing that. Doubtful that Eli Lilly's contribution would move the needle much.

By the way, do you have the same reaction to companies that produce cancer drugs -- that they should invest in causing as much cancer as possible to expand their addressable market?

Good question, thanks. I certainly have this reaction to companies that produce ART drugs: I would expect them to celebrate gay lifestyle and talk how the government should treat HIV in IV drug users "for free", but stay silent about distributing clean needles in safe injection centers or combating the overprescription of opioids.

I guess the difference between these two cases and cancer drugs is twofold:

  • obesity and AIDS are "vice" illnesses, while cancer is only partially so

  • cancer treatment either saves you or you die, you aren't expected to have regular chemotherapy for the rest of your life

TIL that "ART" in the context of medicine could mean either "assisted reproductive technology" (like IVF) or "antiretroviral therapy" (like HIV drugs). I feel bad for people with both HIV and fertility issues!