NEWS

Follow the accumulating evidence and observations that shape our view of health policy and obesity

Lining Up at Amazon and LillyDirect for Obesity Medicines

March 18, 2024 — Hear that rumble? Nope, it not the latest SpaceX launch. It is the roar of growing demand for obesity care in the U.S. Two pieces of news in the last week remind us of how steep the upward line of growth in obesity treatment is right now. To help it scale up their reach to […]

Yes, We Can Learn to Be Happier

March 17, 2024 — Professor Bruce Hood at the University of Bristol wants us to know that we can indeed learn to be happier. He has been teaching the Science of Happiness there since 2018 and measuring the results over time. Collaborating with Catherine Hobbs, Sarah Jelbert, and Laurie Santos in Higher Education, he reports that coursework in positive […]

FDA Approves Resmetirom: First Ever for MASH with Fibrosis

March 16, 2024 — Firsts are worth celebrating. In this case, the cause for celebration is especially great. MASH or metabolic steatohepatitis is a disease that is growing dramatically more common and more harmful to the health of the population. Late this week, FDA approved resmetirom to be the first ever treatment for MASH with fibrosis. Note that the […]

The Absurdly Profitable Business of Prior Authorizations

March 15, 2024 — Prior authorizations are a driving force in the burnout of physicians, denial of medical care, and the profitability of health insurance and pharmacy benefit plans. By one estimate, healthcare providers spend $35 billion every year on chasing down prior authorizations so that their patients can receive the care they need – whether that is a […]

Tripping Over the Relationship Between Obesity and PCOS

March 14, 2024 — Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder affecting young women, with effects that can span from adolescence to life after menopause. It is a complex condition and despite being so common, it’s still poorly understood. Quite often, obesity occurs coincidentally with PCOS. This coincidence has led to the kind of mistakes that […]

Gee Whizzy New Drugs for Weight Loss or Obesity

March 13, 2024 — The drug development pipeline is filling up with new new drugs for weight loss or obesity. On Thursday, Novo Nordisk caused the hearts of investors to flutter when it presented topline results on an oral medicine that might be more effective than semaglutide. The value of the company’s stock jumped by 13%. Just a week […]

Well-Meant, but Promoting Weight Bias and Discrimination

March 12, 2024 — “We must support people living with obesity by educating them about healthy lifestyles.” This is #4 in a series of well-meant statements that promote weight bias and discrimination. Such a statement purports to mean well. But there are so many problems with comments like this that it’s difficult to summarize them all in a short […]

Public Confidence in Science Is High, but Declining

March 11, 2024 — We can point to any number of symptoms. The rise of measles because of skepticism about vaccination comes to mind. Certainly, we hear from people who reject scientific concepts about obesity. So it’s no surprise to us that a new report in PNAS documents high but declining public confidence in science. Arthur Lupia, David Allison, […]

Scarcity, Greed, and Drug Pricing in an Election Year

March 10, 2024 — For many of us, it’s just too painful to think about. But a rerun of the 2020 presidential election is coming and drug pricing is likely to be a big talking point for both of the major candidates. President Biden is talking about corporate greed while former President Trump is talking about reviving an executive […]

Indication for Heart Health Marks a New Era in Obesity Treatment

March 9, 2024 — It’s official. FDA now says that semaglutide, in doses used to treat obesity, can prevent heart attacks, strokes, and deaths in persons with cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity. This is nothing short of the dawn of a new era in obesity treatment. FDA Division Director John Sharretts said it clearly: “This patient population has […]