Years before Ozempic became all the weight loss rage, two private equity firms bought a commercialized anti-obesity drug out of bankruptcy and formed a new company around it called Currax Pharmaceuticals.
Driving the news: Tennessee-based Currax now is locked in an unusual fight with European regulators, and alleging a possible conflict of interest that's tied to Ozempic.
In his first campaign for president, Donald Trump tapped into bipartisan anger over high drug prices to bash pharmaceutical companies. In his latest run, Trump's echoing the extreme elements of his party to suggest the industry's products may be hurting Americans, particularly children.
Why it matters: The GOP frontrunner's airing of unfounded, innuendo-filled claims about the pharmaceutical industry could undermine public health. And it reflects how deeply mistrust of health institutions and anti-science rhetoric have become embedded within a sizable faction of the Republican party following the pandemic.
Wanting to enjoy Christmas cookies and other holiday treats, some people on diabetes and weight management drugs like Ozempic are considering a pause in treatment.
Why it matters: Doctors caution that stopping and starting the medications known as GLP-1 agonists can lead to unwanted side effects like nausea — and can contradict the way the drugs are meant to be used.
