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In Switzerland, 20,000 people die every year from heart attacks, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases. This accounts for more than one in four deaths. Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in Switzerland and worldwide. Now, for the first time, a solution to the No. 1 cause of death appears within reach.
Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss injections reduce the risk of heart attack by 28 percent, the risk of stroke by seven and the overall risk of death by 19 percent. This emerges from study results presented by the Danish pharmaceutical company at a conference in Philadelphia (USA) over the weekend.
Martin Lange (53), chief development officer at Novo Nordisk, described the study results as “groundbreaking”. Lange was quoted as saying in a statement that the scientific community was moving toward “a new era in combating obesity and the risks of cardiovascular disease associated with overweight.” Audiences at the trade fair in Philadelphia burst into applause when the study results were presented, according to US media.
Delivery bottlenecks due to celebrity hype
Novo Nordisk’s slimming injections Wegovy (for overweight people) and Ozempic (for diabetics), which contain the active ingredient semaglutide, have been hyped for months. New study results now show for the first time that injections not only reduce weight but also significantly reduce deaths. 17,600 overweight adults participated in the study.
The study will also address concerns about whether the cost of liposuction injections will be covered by health insurance companies. The list price of Wegovy in Switzerland is not yet clear. In the US, the cost of the drug is $1,300 per month.
For many overweight people, the availability of injections is currently more problematic than financing: the drug has been approved in Switzerland for a year and a half, but has actually been available for only a few days. There are global delivery bottlenecks.
This is also because celebrities like Kim Kardashian (43) and Elon Musk (52) promote weight loss injections even for people of normal weight. In this country, Wegovy is only available with a doctor’s prescription. This opportunity should be given to those who need it most due to severe obesity and its associated comorbidities.
Swiss pharmaceutical industry missed the boat
Patients inject the active ingredient into their stomach, thighs or upper arms once a week. The injection blocks the feeling of hunger.
Meanwhile, other pharmaceutical companies have joined the bandwagon with fat-burning injections: US company Eli Lilly recently received an extension of approval for its Zepbound injection. The drug was previously used for diabetics, but now it can also be prescribed to obese people without diabetes. British pharmaceutical company Astrazeneca is currently working on a weight loss pill.
But the biggest absentees in the race to fight the pounds are the Swiss multinational pharmaceutical companies: Neither Novartis nor Roche have any drugs in this field in preparation.
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
