Are weight-loss jabs going to be the obesity crisis cure governments are hoping for? New analysis by Prime Therapeutics found only 32 per cent of US patients prescribed GLP-1 drugs (including Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic or Wegovy) were still taking the medicine for weight loss a year later. It is a “substantial drop” in adherence compared to other clinical trial results, according to Prime. Nearly 7 per cent of patients discontinued the jabs because of gastrointestinal problems and adverse events while others likely stopped because of milder side effects or no longer being able to afford deductibles. Europe’s drug regulator announced this week it was reviewing the jabs for possible side effects of self-harm and suicidal thoughts. So what? These jabs aren’t cheap (up to $1000 a month) and governments desperately need to shore up their healthcare systems.
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