The inside story of the race to develop Ozempic - the world's first truly effective and safe obesity drug - and its potentially revolutionary effects on public health, and our deeper culture and values.

'A FASCINATING DEEP DIVE' Guardian

'VERY ENGAGING' New Scientist

'ENLIGHTENING' Publishers Weekly

Weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy were born from a breakthrough in type 2 diabetes treatment, tricking users into feeling full. But these drugs are proving so transformative that entire industries are being disrupted. Fast food giants, supermarkets, dialysis kit makers and beer companies, all of which rely on a steady stream of obese customers, are feeling the squeeze. Ozempic''s creator, the Danish company Novo Nordisk, has metamorphosed into a behemoth with a market capitalisation of almost half a trillion dollars. Countless celebrities, from Oprah Winfrey to Elon Musk sing Ozempic''s praises. The story of obesity drugs, however, goes far beyond billion dollar profits. Their invention is set to change the world in profound ways and crystallises difficult questions about inequality and morality. Off the Scale is not a parable of good versus evil, but a deeply human narrative that lays bare some of our deepest impulses and fears. There are heroes who work for one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, and there are ordinary people who, in their quest to become thin, are taking vital drugs intended for people who are morbidly obese. As the popularity of Ozempic continues to grow, one question looms in the minds of investors, healthcare workers and politicians: are these drugs too good to be true? Aimee Donnellan marshals the evidence to forecast the future of these drugs-and examines what their explosive popularity tells us about our ideals of beauty, the lengths to which people will go in order to become thin, the current state of healthcare, and the workings of the pharmaceutical industry.

Autorentext

Aimee Donnellanis a columnist at Reuters, where her reporting has focused on the pharmaceutical, airline, and insurance industries since 2017. Previously she was the Sunday Timesbanking correspondent, and covered the bond market for the International Financing Review. She holds degrees in English and History from the University of Galway and in journalism from the London School of Journalism. She lives in Galway with her wife and two children. Off the Scales is her first book.

Klappentext

The inside story of the race to develop Ozempic - the world's first truly effective and safe obesity drug - and its potentially revolutionary effects on public health, and our deeper culture and values.

'A FASCINATING DEEP DIVE' Guardian

'VERY ENGAGING' New Scientist

'ENLIGHTENING' Publishers Weekly

A 'cure' for obesity has long evaded the pharmaceutical industry, until the development of Ozempic: a diabetes medication that targets the GLP-1 hormone and makes people feel fuller for longer.

After decades of research, Ozempic's creator Novo Nordisk quickly became one of the most valuable companies in Europe. Now it struggles to keep up with its rivals in an explosive and lucrative market for weight-loss injections. The treatment is so effective that it's already disrupted industries from healthcare to fast food to fashion. Financial investment has skyrocketed and public demand continues to soar alongside celebrity endorsements. Beyond million-dollar profits, countless lives could now be saved from preventable diseases, but one question remains: are these drugs too good to be true?

Through original reporting and rigorous research, Aimee Donnellan uncovers the complicated history of a medical breakthrough that is changing the world, while raising difficult questions about inequality, morality, our beauty ideals and the pursuit of thinness. Along the way, Donnellan profiles the female scientist whose contributions to the discovery of GLP-1 were overlooked and some of the earliest Ozempic users share powerful testimonies.

Off the Scales is a revelatory, gripping and urgent study of the unexpected consequences of finally getting what we've wanted for so long.

'A lively tale of the stunning rise of Ozempic. This detailed, eye-opening account is bolstered by an insider look at commercial drug development' Irish Times

'The definitive account of a singular global force - essential reading to help us understand what has been unleashed and what may be coming next' Andy Slavitt, author of Preventable

'[A] Meticulously reported account ... and it is done very well - briskly and brightly ... Donnellan has performed a public service by taking down the first draft of history: by speaking to the main players and untangling the rivalries and disputes' The Times

'A riveting read ... Donnellan captures the drama behind the science ... and explores the wider implications for society, health and business in this deeply researched book' John Collingridge, Guardian business editor