John Schoonbee on why new drugs, while helpful, are no panacea for obesity
Nutrition and lifestyle changes should remain the focus, says Swiss Re’s chief medical officer
A PILL OR shot to lose weight has a powerful allure for those struggling to shed excess kilos. It has also been a dream of drugmakers, whose past efforts against obesity often faced safety or efficacy issues. This time seems different. Since American approval of a once-a-week injection in 2021, followed by European authorisation, several weight-loss drugs have come on the market or are likely to be approved soon. From Big Pharma to biotechs, a bevy of firms are either selling such medicines or running trials.
From the July 15th 2023 edition
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