Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Eli Lilly Says Weight Loss Pill A Success, Will Apply This Year For FDA Approval
The New York Times: Pill Causes Major Weight Loss In Eli Lilly Trial’s Results
People who were overweight or had obesity lost a substantial amount of weight after taking a daily pill made by Eli Lilly, the company reported on Wednesday. The pharmaceutical manufacturer will be applying to the Food and Drug Administration by the end of this year for marketing approval for the medication, which would provide an alternative to injectable drugs that produce weight loss and are already on the market. Eli Lilly plans “a large investment,” in manufacturing the drug, orforglipron, said Kenneth Custer, executive vice president at Lilly and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health. (Kolata, 8/7)
The Wall Street Journal: Why A Weight-Loss Pill Is Still A Big Deal
Lilly’s pill could be a commercial breakthrough, not because it is more potent, but because it is more accessible. A once-daily oral drug that requires no refrigeration and is easier to manufacture could dramatically expand the market. It could be prescribed more readily by primary-care doctors, shipped like any other medication and used in global regions where injectables remain impractical. It might also attract patients who avoid needles or those with milder obesity looking for a simpler, longer-term maintenance option. (Wainer, 8/8)
More on weight loss —
The New York Times: As Ozempic Shrinks Appetites, Some Restaurants Offer Miniature Meals
Some restaurants, from fast-food chains to fine-dining establishment, are trying to appease fluctuating appetites by offering dishes and deals designed to lure GLP-1 users. Eight to 10 percent of Americans are now taking GLP-1s, and 30 to 35 percent have expressed interest in taking them, according to an October 2024 report published by the consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. In April, a Bloomberg Intelligence survey found that more than 50 percent of users dined out less frequently since starting the medications. Another report published by Morgan Stanley that month found that 63 percent of people on Ozempic order considerably less when they do go to restaurants. (Krueger, 8/7)
WUFT: Fat Cats Shedding Pounds Can Offer Clues To Human Weight Loss
Got an obese cat? You aren’t alone in overindulging your pet. Six out of 10 cats in the U.S. are overweight. Cats don’t know better. Their humans feed them, after all, and have their own problems walking by the food bowl without stopping. Researchers at The Ohio State University recently found that dieting cats undergo a significant change in the populations of bacteria in their gut. In fact, it’s thought to be like what happens in their people. (Levesque, 8/8)
On artificial intelligence —
Becker's Hospital Review: OpenAI Releases New Model With Health Focus
On Aug. 7, OpenAI released GPT-5 — its latest AI model — which the company says includes significant improvements in addressing health-related questions. The model performs considerably better than previous versions on HealthBench, a benchmark that uses real-world scenarios and physician-defined criteria, according to OpenAI. (Diaz, 8/7)
Fierce Healthcare: Altman Touts Benefit Of GPT-5 For Healthcare
OpenAI released its most advanced reasoning model, GPT-5, which it touts as its most useful model for healthcare. The application of ChatGPT for healthcare played a leading role in the company’s Summer Update meeting on Thursday, during which it did live demos of the upgraded model. (Beavins, 8/7)
