Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Spiking Diabetes And Obesity Rates Among Young Adults Sound Alarms
The Washington Post: Diabetes And Obesity Rising In Young Americans, Study Finds
Diabetes and obesity are rising among young adults in the United States, an alarming development that puts them at higher risk for heart disease, according to a study of 13,000 people between 20 and 44 years old. The authors of the study, published Sunday in a major medical journal, warn the trends could have major public health implications: a rising generation dying prematurely of heart attacks, strokes and other complications. And Black and Hispanic people, particularly Mexican Americans, would bear the brunt. (Nirappil, 3/5)
NPR: Diabetes And Obesity Are On The Rise In Young Adults, A Study Says
The prevalence of diabetes climbed from 3% to 4.1%; obesity shot up from 32.7% to 40.9%, based on the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Sunday, which uses data from 2009 to 2020. (Bowman, 3/6)
In related news about diabetes and obesity drugs —
Stat: The Obesity Revolution: New Weight Loss Drugs Change The Narrative
A two-part message is permeating the halls of medicine and the fabric of society, sliding into medical school lectures, pediatricians’ offices, happy hours and social feeds: Obesity is a chronic biological disease — and it’s treatable with a new class of medications. (Chen and Herper, 3/5)
The Wall Street Journal: New Diabetes Drugs Like Ozempic Are Changing How Patients Are Treated
The way doctors treat diabetes is changing. For years, people with Type 2 diabetes who needed to take drugs to lower their blood-sugar levels started with an old medicine called metformin. New guidelines now recommend patients can start with one of the newer diabetes medicines, which can also reduce weight and protect the heart and kidney. The shift could help the many people with diabetes who are also dealing with conditions like hypertension, kidney disease and obesity, while still tackling the high blood sugar that is a hallmark of their diabetes. (Perez-Castells, 3/5)
CBS News: Ozempic-Like Weight Loss Drug Wegovy Coming To The U.K. Market, And It Will Cost A Fraction Of What Americans Pay
NICE said the list price of Wegovy in 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg doses was 73.25 pounds (about $88) per pack of four pre-filled injection pens, but that if it becomes available on the NHS, it will either be free or cost patients the standard prescription fee of about $10 per order, depending on the cost structure. In the U.S. the same pack of four Wegovy injection pens has a list price of $1,349, but some health insurance plans will cover at least some of that cost. (Ott, 3/3)
ABC News: Eating Disorder Experts Are Worried About Ozempic
The popularity around weight loss drugs like Ozempic is worrying eating disorder experts, who say the conversation risks making recovery harder and could put others at risk of developing disorders. "My fear is that there is now a belief that anyone can and should achieve a certain body shape and size with the help of these medications, so there's going to be an even greater drive towards a certain body type," said Tracy Richmond, director of the eating disorder program at Boston Children's Hospital. (Wetsman, 3/6)
The Wall Street Journal: Startup Offering Ozempic Surges With Controversial Ads, Fake Testimonials
In eight months, a startup called NextMed has emerged as a growing service among many trying to capitalize on the craze for drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro that are often prescribed for weight loss. Run by a founder who graduated from college 14 months ago, the service has web traffic that has surpassed companies like Calibrate Health Inc. and Found Health Inc. that have advertised weight-loss prescriptions for longer. NextMed, whose corporate parent is Helio Logistics Inc., operates with far fewer employees than competitors. Calibrate has hundreds of employees, and Found has around 200. (Winkler, 3/4)
