The big business behind weight-loss drugs: Global market to hit $150 billion by 2035
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12:43 min
They burst onto the scene four years ago and are taking over the pharmaceutical world. New GLP-1-based drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound are said to be a weight-loss game changer and could drive big pharma's revenue for years to come. But they come with a hefty price tag, while some 50 to 70 percent of people taking GLP-1s suffer side effects. Charles Pellegrin asks Frederic Bizard, a health economist and professor at ESCP Business School, who has the most to gain from this pharma revolution.
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France 24
11 hours ago
- France 24
The big business behind weight-loss drugs: Global market to hit $150 billion by 2035
12:43 Issued on: 12:43 min They burst onto the scene four years ago and are taking over the pharmaceutical world. New GLP-1-based drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound are said to be a weight-loss game changer and could drive big pharma's revenue for years to come. But they come with a hefty price tag, while some 50 to 70 percent of people taking GLP-1s suffer side effects. Charles Pellegrin asks Frederic Bizard, a health economist and professor at ESCP Business School, who has the most to gain from this pharma revolution.
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
Indonesia free meal plan stunted by delays, protests, poisonings
"My daughter had a stomachache, diarrhoea, and a headache," the woman told AFP on condition of anonymity about the incident in the Javan city of Bandung. "She also couldn't stop vomiting until three in the morning." Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto touted the populist scheme as a solution to the high rates of stunted growth among children, as he carved his way to a landslide election victory last year. But its rollout since January has stumbled from crisis to crisis, including accusations of nepotism, funding delays, protests and a spate of food poisonings. It was slated to reach as many as 17.5 million children this year to the tune of $4.3 billion. But so far it has only served five million students nationwide from January to mid-June, according to the finance ministry. The poisoning issues were not isolated to that girl's school -- five others reported similar incidents. But Prabowo has lauded the number of illnesses as a positive. "Indeed there was a poisoning today, around 200 people out of three million," he said in May. "Over five were hospitalised, so that means the success rate is 99.99 percent. A 99.99 percent success rate in any field is a good thing." Rushed policy Large-scale aid programmes in Indonesia have a history of allegations of graft at both the regional and national levels. Experts say this programme is particularly vulnerable, with little in the way of accountability. "A big budget means the possibility of corruption is wide open, and with lax monitoring, corruption can happen," said Egi Primayogha, a researcher at Indonesia Corruption Watch. "Since the beginning, the programme was rushed, without any good planning. There is no transparency." The programme was rolled out soon after Prabowo took office in October and local investigative magazine Tempo reported that "several partners appointed" were Prabowo supporters in the election. Agus Pambagio, a Jakarta-based public policy expert, said Prabowo rushed the plan, with critics saying there was little public consultation. "Japan and India have been doing it for decades. If we want to do it just like them within a few months, it's suicide," he said. "We can't let fatalities happen." The plan's stated aim is to combat stunting, which affects more than 20 percent of the country's children, and reduce that rate to five percent by 2045. Prabowo's administration has allocated $0.62 per meal and initially set a budget of 71 trillion rupiah ($4.3 billion) for this year. But authorities have been accused of delays and under-funding the programme. A catering business in capital Jakarta had to temporarily shut down in March because the government had not paid the $60,000 it was owed. The case went viral and it eventually got its money back. Poses risks The government announced a $6.2 billion budget boost recently but revised it by half as problems mounted in its ambitious quest to deliver meals to almost 83 million people by 2029. Widespread cuts to fund the programme's large budget also sparked protests across Indonesian cities in February. Yet some say the programme has benefited their child. "It's quite helpful. I still give my son pocket money, but since he got free lunch, he could save that money," Reni Parlina, 46, told AFP. However a May survey by research institute Populix found more than 83 percent of 4,000 respondents think the policy should be reviewed. "If necessary, the programme should be suspended until a thorough evaluation is carried out," said Egi. The National Nutrition Agency, tasked with overseeing free meal distribution, did not respond to an AFP request for comment. The agency has said it will evaluate the scheme and has trained thousands of kitchen staff. Kitchen partners say they are taking extra precautions too. "We keep reminding our members to follow food safety protocols," said Sam Hartoto of the Indonesian Catering Entrepreneurs Association, which has 100 members working with the government. While they seek to provide assurances, the debacles have spooked parents who doubt Prabowo's government can deliver. "I don't find this programme useful. It poses more risks than benefits," said the mother of the sick girl. "I don't think this programme is running well." © 2025 AFP
Euronews
7 days ago
- Euronews
Why Spain thinks Novo Nordisk may be illegally advertising Ozempic
Spain is investigating the drugmaker Novo Nordisk over concerns that it may be illegally advertising its blockbuster weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. It is the latest in a string of inquiries into the Danish pharmaceutical giant, with authorities in at least two other European countries accusing Novo Nordisk of unlawfully promoting its medications in recent years. The drugs, which were created to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes, work by mimicking a hormone in the body that makes people feel full for longer. They have surged in popularity because they help people lose weight quickly. But health officials worry that drugmakers are seeking to boost already sky-high demand, possibly in violation of a European Union ban on consumer advertising for drugs that can only be obtained via prescription. Pharmaceutical companies are both 'creating awareness of the disease [and] selling the drug' to treat it, Javier Padilla , Spain's secretary of state for health, told Euronews Health. The latest kerfuffle involves a campaign that Novo Nordisk launched in Spain earlier this month to raise public awareness about the health risks of obesity with the tagline 'Obesidad Sin Filtros,' or 'Obesity Without Filters'. The company also launched a website – which has since been taken down – on obesity's health risks that cited endorsements from key scientific societies, recommended questions for people to ask their doctors, and offered weight loss tips. Notably, these tips included a healthy diet, exercise, and sleep, and did not explicitly mention any medicines. Even so, the Spanish health ministry said the campaign could serve as 'covert advertising' for Novo Nordisk's weight loss drugs. 'It's widely known that if Novo Nordisk is talking about obesity, it is because it is talking about Ozempic,' Padilla said, calling the campaign 'very obvious'. Padilla said the health ministry asked Novo Nordisk to provide more details on how the campaign came together, including what the professional societies knew about the materials beforehand. If it finds the company has violated EU law, he said the Spanish government may slap it with a fine. A Novo Nordisk spokesperson defended the initiative, telling Euronews Health the company worked with medical societies to develop the campaign and that it is in 'good active dialogue with the authorities' in Spain. 'Obesity is not a character flaw, but a chronic disease… [and] we continue to confront the stigma and bias associated with it and advocate for access to support and care,' the spokesperson added. Which other countries have taken aim at Novo Nordisk? Other countries have also scrutinised Novo Nordisk's tactics in recent years. Last month, the Irish Times reported that Ireland's medicines watchdog found the company had broken rules around marketing to healthcare workers over a three-year period. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom's pharmaceutical lobby reinstated Novo Nordisk's membership in March after a two-year suspension for engaging in misleading marketing practices. Novo Nordisk is not the only drugmaker under scrutiny. According to Padilla, the Spanish health ministry is also probing Eli Lilly, which makes rival weight loss jab Mounjaro. Padilla called on other European countries to crack down on pharmaceutical companies that appear to toe the line between health promotion and drug advertising – particularly those selling weight loss drugs, which are expected to strain national budgets in the coming years. 'If more governments were more proactive in these situations, it would result in companies being less brave' about pushing the limits on marketing rules, Padilla said.
