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> So much cutting edge talent is being squandered to work on these weight loss drugs because they pay the bills better than solving rare disease. Isn’t this ba
by Waterluvian 1y ago
> So much cutting edge talent is being squandered to work on these weight loss drugs because they pay the bills better than solving rare disease.
Isn’t this backwards? Obesity is probably one of the very top health epidemics we’re facing. Rare diseases aren’t.
- asdff 1y agoWeight loss is solved already. Diet and exercise. Done. No profit for pharma company doing that though. Rare diseases are not solved, you die or have lifelong quality of life issues. Collectively, they aren't that rare.
- AlotOfReading 1y agoIf it's solved, then why are 75% of US adults overweight? I submit that a disease affecting 3/4 adults is still a public health issue even if a treatment exists.
- asdff 1y agoBecause people probably have mental health issues that preclude being sufficiently active in their own lives. Will 75% of adults start taking ozempic? Well, they haven't already, so there's that.
- jncfhnb 1y agoAddicted to drugs? Stop doing drugs. Done.
- asdff 1y agoHow do you propose getting off drugs without getting off drugs?
- Magmalgebra 1y agoWhile I get what you're saying I don't think this is what most people think of as "solved". The brass tacks are: 1. Estimates for the cost of obesity globally are somewhere around 2 trillion dollars. 2. Telling people to diet and exercise usually did not get them to lose weight 3. Giving people semaglutide does get them to lose weight So many people in my life who were unhappy and struggling with their weight are now happy because semaglutide worked where advice about diet and exercise did not. I can't imagine most rare disease drugs will have that level of impact.
- asdff 1y agoThe advice about diet and exercise did not fail to work. What failed was listening to that advice. It works for people who listen. And what is more you will not be healthy at 80 years old living otherwise sedentary life with ozempic keeping the weight you should be carrying off. You will have no muscle mass. You will be frail and in poor health compared to your peers who cultivated and maintained muscle mass through their life. You will not only have a weak body but your organ health will be in decline. You will have weak lungs and heart. This is going to make medical intervention at the end of your life all the more complicated. Make it difficult for you to survive from things. Now imagine how much of the world might change if we solved the issue of "uninformed people failing to listen to expert advice." I imagine we'd meet all our climate goals and pollution goals in a generation if not less.
- rurban 1y agoThat's poor sugar industry propaganda. Doesn't help. You need to fight the root cause.
- blamestross 1y agoThe bad news is that the root cause is stress under capitalism. Health is yet another long-term investment poorer people end up being unable to leverage due to lack of liquidity. It takes time and money to ensure a healthy diet. Exercise takes up a massive amount of time and energy. People who are struggling to make ends meet can't afford these things. Tolerance of discomfort isn't unlimited and people don't have infinite willpower. We are pushed to spend all that tolerance and all that willpower at work. These drugs let you buy tolerance of discomfort at a discount, so you can spend more of it at work. My experience is that people generally are already doing their best. They don't need "more willpower" or more threats. They need tools, support, and less things asked of them.
- rurban 1y agoNo, the root cause is simply the sugar industry. And the unwillingness of the government to regulate it.
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]