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I think it's awesome that there's a new use for these drugs. However, obesity kills slowly, when it kills. Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease kill more quickly

I think it's awesome that there's a new use for these drugs. However, obesity kills slowly, when it kills. Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease kill more quickly if not under control. These drugs keep diabetes under control..and diabetics like my wife are unable to get their meds because people are buying these off the shelf to lose weight. I don't pretend to know the solution, but I do think drug availability should be prioritized to those who need it the most, not those who can pay the most (the weight loss brand of the same drug is being marketed for 2x-5x the cost of the diabetic brand, or so I've been told).

pjc50 4y ago
I note the reverse applies: my dad was prescribed Metformin for diabetes, and began to lose weight at a significant rate to the point where it became unhealthy. > the weight loss brand of the same drug is being marketed for 2x-5x the cost of the diabetic brand, or so I've been told Drug pricing is a hell of a drug.
jboy55 4y ago
> Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease kill more quickly if not under control. These drugs keep diabetes under control..and diabetics like my wife are unable to get their meds because people are buying these off the shelf to lose weight. This seems to be a short term problem, and the solution is to simply make more of the drug to match demand.
- charlieflowers 4y ago
  > and the solution is to simply make more of the drug to match demand which unfortunately might not align with the incentives of capitalism.
  - jboy55 4y ago
    If "Capitalism" involved the conscious coordination of all industry to maximize consumption, perhaps not. But in the terms of, raise money to buy a factory, have factory produce goods, sell goods, there seems to be a huge market for these, quite expensive, goods. edit: You could even argue, in a conspiratorial mind, that by getting people addicted to sugar ($0.0002 / mg) in order to then get them addicted to a drug that costs ($10/mg) is peak "Capitalism"
    - charlieflowers 4y ago
      > edit: You could even argue, in a conspiratorial mind, that by getting people addicted to sugar ($0.0002 / mg) in order to then get them addicted to a drug that costs ($10/mg) is peak "Capitalism" Oh you absolutely could argue that. That's pretty much right on the money. It doesn't require conspiratorial up-front planning. Just a tragedy of the commons in an environment of capitalistic incentives without the necessary constraints around it.
  - notJim 4y ago
    Why wouldn't it? At $1300 a month, this is going to be a massive business for these companies. I read a statement from Novo Nordisk to their investors where they said they simply underestimated demand for the drugs. They expected a slow uptake and instead received an explosive one. They are working hard to increase production.

pjc50 4y ago

I note the reverse applies: my dad was prescribed Metformin for diabetes, and began to lose weight at a significant rate to the point where it became unhealthy. > the weight loss brand of the same drug is being marketed for 2x-5x the cost of the diabetic brand, or so I've been told Drug pricing is a hell of a drug.

jboy55 4y ago

> Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease kill more quickly if not under control. These drugs keep diabetes under control..and diabetics like my wife are unable to get their meds because people are buying these off the shelf to lose weight. This seems to be a short term problem, and the solution is to simply make more of the drug to match demand.

charlieflowers 4y ago
> and the solution is to simply make more of the drug to match demand which unfortunately might not align with the incentives of capitalism.
- jboy55 4y ago
  If "Capitalism" involved the conscious coordination of all industry to maximize consumption, perhaps not. But in the terms of, raise money to buy a factory, have factory produce goods, sell goods, there seems to be a huge market for these, quite expensive, goods. edit: You could even argue, in a conspiratorial mind, that by getting people addicted to sugar ($0.0002 / mg) in order to then get them addicted to a drug that costs ($10/mg) is peak "Capitalism"
  - charlieflowers 4y ago
    > edit: You could even argue, in a conspiratorial mind, that by getting people addicted to sugar ($0.0002 / mg) in order to then get them addicted to a drug that costs ($10/mg) is peak "Capitalism" Oh you absolutely could argue that. That's pretty much right on the money. It doesn't require conspiratorial up-front planning. Just a tragedy of the commons in an environment of capitalistic incentives without the necessary constraints around it.
- notJim 4y ago
  Why wouldn't it? At $1300 a month, this is going to be a massive business for these companies. I read a statement from Novo Nordisk to their investors where they said they simply underestimated demand for the drugs. They expected a slow uptake and instead received an explosive one. They are working hard to increase production.