WeightWatchers Aims to Start Marketing Diet Drugs
2023-03-21
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1The company WeightWatchers recently announced it would buy a health company whose providers prescribe drugs for weight loss.
2However, some experts worry about the use of drugs for weight loss.
3They argue the treatment does not include enough monitoring for side effects among patients.
4WeightWatchers is a company that sells products and services to help people use exercise and diet to lose weight.
5But recently, the company said it would purchase Sequence, a telehealth company.
6The deal is valued at $132 million dollars.
7It is the latest business deal in the market for prescription weight loss drugs.
8For example, famous people have supported the use of the diabetes drug Ozempic as a weight loss drug.
9But the drug has not been approved for that use by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA.
10High demand for the drug has resulted in shortages.
11WeightWatchers has 3.5 million members who pay for its services.
12With Sequence, WeightWatchers can provide members with more than just food and exercise planning services. It can offer medication.
13Experts on extreme overweight, also called obesity, say the drugs will revolutionize treatment for a problem that 42 percent of Americans face.
14The drugs that are getting a lot of attention are a class of medications called GLP-1 agonists.
15Two of the most popular drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy, are different versions of the same drug, semaglutide.
16Ozempic has been in use for about six years to treat type 2 diabetes.
17It was approved as a treatment for diabetes.
18But, once a drug is approved, it can be prescribed for other uses.
19Increasingly, doctors are prescribing Ozempic for weight loss.
20Wegovy was approved in 2021 to treat obesity in adults and children older than 11.
21There are several similar drugs on the market.
22Most of these drugs require weekly injections.
23The manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, said that supply problems have eased.
24The drugs activate the release of the hormone insulin and block sugar production in the body organ called the liver.
25The medicine also suppresses the natural desire to eat.
26A newer drug called tirzepatide, copies the action of two hormones and is said to be even more effective.
27Eli Lilly and Co. sells the drug under the name Mounjaro.
28It is approved for diabetes treatment and the FDA is considering it for obesity.
29In medical tests, obese adults who received Wegovy had a mean weight loss of about 15 percent of their body weight.
30Young people who took the drug lost a similar amount.
31Mounjaro is still being tested.
32The Associated Press reports that different doses resulted in 15 to 21 percent of body weight being lost.
33That compared to three percent for people who received no drug at all but thought they were receiving one.
34Dr. Louis Aronne is director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center in Weill Cornell Medicine based in New York City.
35He said a usual weight loss program involving exercise and diet will result in one third of the group losing five percent or more of body weight.
36Aronne said most people find it difficult to lose weight because of reactions to eating less.
37Several hormones start to take effect in people who are eating less than they normally do.
38"There is a real physical phenomenon," he said, that causes the body to resist losing weight.
39Drugs usually have side effects, however.
40The most common are problems with digestion, causing stomach pain and vomiting.
41Other possible side effects include tumors, cancer and swelling of organs like the pancreas, kidneys, gall bladder and eye problems.
42People with a family history of some cancers or genetic problems with the endocrine system should not take such drugs.
43Dr. Amy Rothberg is a hormone specialist at the University of Michigan.
44She directs an online weight control and diabetes program.
45She said drugs can be a part of an effort involving several weight loss methods.
46But Rothberg said it is important that WeightWatchers aims to monitor patients to make sure the drugs are taken correctly and to watch for side effects.
47I'm Mario Ritter Jr.
1The company WeightWatchers recently announced it would buy a health company whose providers prescribe drugs for weight loss. 2However, some experts worry about the use of drugs for weight loss. They argue the treatment does not include enough monitoring for side effects among patients. 3WeightWatchers is a company that sells products and services to help people use exercise and diet to lose weight. But recently, the company said it would purchase Sequence, a telehealth company. 4The deal is valued at $132 million dollars. It is the latest business deal in the market for prescription weight loss drugs. For example, famous people have supported the use of the diabetes drug Ozempic as a weight loss drug. But the drug has not been approved for that use by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA. High demand for the drug has resulted in shortages. 5WeightWatchers has 3.5 million members who pay for its services. With Sequence, WeightWatchers can provide members with more than just food and exercise planning services. It can offer medication. 6Experts on extreme overweight, also called obesity, say the drugs will revolutionize treatment for a problem that 42 percent of Americans face. 7What are the new diet drugs? 8The drugs that are getting a lot of attention are a class of medications called GLP-1 agonists. Two of the most popular drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy, are different versions of the same drug, semaglutide. 9Ozempic has been in use for about six years to treat type 2 diabetes. It was approved as a treatment for diabetes. But, once a drug is approved, it can be prescribed for other uses. Increasingly, doctors are prescribing Ozempic for weight loss. 10Wegovy was approved in 2021 to treat obesity in adults and children older than 11. There are several similar drugs on the market. 11Most of these drugs require weekly injections. The manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, said that supply problems have eased. 12How do the drugs work? 13The drugs activate the release of the hormone insulin and block sugar production in the body organ called the liver. The medicine also suppresses the natural desire to eat. 14A newer drug called tirzepatide, copies the action of two hormones and is said to be even more effective. Eli Lilly and Co. sells the drug under the name Mounjaro. It is approved for diabetes treatment and the FDA is considering it for obesity. 15How effective are the drugs? 16In medical tests, obese adults who received Wegovy had a mean weight loss of about 15 percent of their body weight. Young people who took the drug lost a similar amount. 17Mounjaro is still being tested. The Associated Press reports that different doses resulted in 15 to 21 percent of body weight being lost. That compared to three percent for people who received no drug at all but thought they were receiving one. 18Dr. Louis Aronne is director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center in Weill Cornell Medicine based in New York City. He said a usual weight loss program involving exercise and diet will result in one third of the group losing five percent or more of body weight. 19Aronne said most people find it difficult to lose weight because of reactions to eating less. Several hormones start to take effect in people who are eating less than they normally do. "There is a real physical phenomenon," he said, that causes the body to resist losing weight. 20Drugs usually have side effects, however. The most common are problems with digestion, causing stomach pain and vomiting. Other possible side effects include tumors, cancer and swelling of organs like the pancreas, kidneys, gall bladder and eye problems. People with a family history of some cancers or genetic problems with the endocrine system should not take such drugs. 21Dr. Amy Rothberg is a hormone specialist at the University of Michigan. She directs an online weight control and diabetes program. She said drugs can be a part of an effort involving several weight loss methods. 22But Rothberg said it is important that WeightWatchers aims to monitor patients to make sure the drugs are taken correctly and to watch for side effects. 23I'm Mario Ritter Jr. 24Jonel Aleccia reported this story for the Associated Press. Mario Ritter, Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. 25_________________________________________________ 26Words in This Story 27prescribe -v. (medicine) to direct someone to take a medicine or treatment that is only available if a doctor requests it 28monitoring -v. to watch for a special purpose over a period of time 29hormone -n. a natural substance that is produced in the body and that influences growth, development or processes 30mean -n. the middle point between two values 31dose -n. the amount of a medicine needed to treat a problem or disease 32phenomenon -n. something that happens that can be observed and studied 33endocrine system -n. the system that sends chemical messages for many processes in the body 34____________________________________________________________________ 35We want to hear from you. 36Here is how our comment system works: 37Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.