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'S TRACK ON TODAY'S DAILY HEALTH
'S TRACK ON TODAY'S DAILY HEALTH
. THERE'S A PROMISING NEW
WEIGHT LOSS DRUG THAT'S GETTING
A LOT OF ATTENTION AND NOT JUST
BECAUSE OF ITS TEST RESULTS.
>> IF IT'S APPROVED BY THE FDA,
THE MEDICATION TO BECOME THE
BEST-SELLING DRUG.
GET THIS, OF ALL TIME.
THERE'S CONCERN OVER WHO WILL
ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT.
IT'S PRETTY EXPENSIVE.
JOINING US NOW IS DR.
BLACKSTOCK.
GREAT TO SEE YOU, HAPPY NEW
YEAR.
FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS THIS NEW
WEIGHT LOSS DRUG AND HOW DOES
IT WORK WITH YOU HOW ARE PEOPLE
USING IT ?
>> HAPPY NEW YEAR'S, THANK YOU
FOR HAVING ME!
THIS NEW DRUG IS ACTUALLY
SIMILAR TO OTHER DRUGS ALREADY
ON THE MARKET.
ESSENTIALLY, IT MAKES PEOPLE
LESS HUNGRY.
THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR ALSO
CHANGES HOW THE BODY
METABOLIZES SUGAR AND FAT. THE
STUDY SHOWS THAT PEOPLE ON IT
LOST ABOUT 20% OF THEIR BODY
WEIGHT.
THAT WAS SUSTAINED WEIGHT LOSS.
>> THAT'S A LOT.
>> DRUGMAKER ELI LILLY IS
BEHIND THIS PARTICULAR DRUG,
RIGHT?
WAITING ON FDA APPROVAL.
WE HAVE ANY SENSE OF HOW MUCH
IT COULD COST?
OUR WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS EVEN
COVERED BY INSURANCE?
>> OTHER MEDICATIONS THAT ARE
SIMILAR ARE NOT ONLY COVERED BY
PRIVATE INSURANCE, THEY'RE
DEFINITELY NOT COVERED
MEDICARE. SOME MEDICAID MAKE EVERETT.
SOME MEDICAID MAKE EVERETT. IT'S VERY, VERY PRICEY AMERICAN
WITH OBESITY THAT. NEEDS T
WITH OBESITY THAT. NEEDS T
INNOVATION HAS TO SAY AT A
PROFIT.
THE CONCERN OF THE AVERAGE
AMERICAN WITH OBESITY THAT
NEEDS THIS MEDICATION WOULDN'T
BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT IF THEIR
INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER IT.
IT WOULD ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO
THOSE WHO ARE VERY RICH.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT INSURANCE
COMPANIES DON'T THINK OF
OBESITY AS AN ILLNESS OR A
MEDICAL PROBLEM.
WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY
THINK ABOUT IT.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT COSMETICS
BUT ABOUT HEALTH AS WELL.
>> IT'S SO EXPENSIVE.
REAL BEFORE YOU GO, WE HAVE TO
ASK, ANY DANGERS TO THIS DRUG?
ANY SIDE EFFECTS.
>> THESE DRUGS ARE NOT ONLY
BEING EFFECTIVE THEY ALSO ARE
PRETTY SAFE.
SOME OF THE COMMON SIDE EFFECTS
ARE GASTROINTESTINAL. NAUSEA,
VOMITING, DIARRHEA.
OTHERWISE, THEY ARE RARELY WELL-
TOLERATED FOR PEOPLE WHO TAKE
THEM.
>> DID THEY KNOW ABOUT THE LONG
TERM?
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THEY HAVE
BEEN STUDYING THIS DRUG.
DIVINA WILL HAPPEN OVERTIME IF
THEY REGAIN THE WEIGHT?
>> SO FAR, CITATIONS FOR A FEW
YEARS.
THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP OFF
