Heavy risks of weight-loss drugs

The health issues and social stigma associated with weight gain push obese people to try every possible solution that can help them shed unwanted kilograms. Unfortunately, many of them struggle to lose weight even with a balanced diet and plenty of exercise. This sense of failure is hard to cope with, especially in a culture that offers shame in place of support. In the face of such despair, prescription drugs seem to hold out a promise of hope.

- CHINTAN GIRISH MODI

"Some financial analysts believe that the market for them could be worth as much as $200 billion globally by 2030...Ozempic and its successors look set to become one of the iconic and defining drugs of our time, on a par with the contraceptive pill and Prozac," writes Johann Hari in his new book Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs.

What makes the book worth reading is the author's openness to diverse perspectives. He is not a medical expert, so the information that he makes available is based on conversations with scientists, published studies, and his own experience of injecting himself with Ozempic.

Numerous Indians who were unfamiliar with the drug learned about it thanks to jewellery designer Maheep Kapoor on the Netflix show Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives. She called out people who use Ozempic to lose weight quickly, leading to a shortage of the drug for diabetics. Her remarks also led to speculation around filmmaker Karan Johar's recent weight loss, who took to Instagram and stated, "Being healthy and eating well and reinventing the wheel of your nutrition! Aur Ozempic ko mile credit (And Ozempic gets the credit)?"