There has been a great deal of discussion in the media over the last weeks and months about a drug called Ozempic. It is being billed by some as a divine solution to the opulent West’s obesity problem; to others, it’s an untested drug of potentially infinite danger, medically, morally, and socially.
Naturally, neither of these extremes reflects the complex reality of Ozempic, as it stands in relation to our society, and so this article aims to clear up some of the misinformation and confusion surrounding Ozempic. While there is no clear-cut “right” answer, hopefully this will provide you with sufficient understanding that you can reach your own conclusions on whether or not Ozempic should be banned, tolerated, or encouraged by the medical community and society as a whole.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic (a specific example of a drug generically known as a semaglutide) is an FDA-approved drug intended to help treat Type 2 Diabetes. Semaglutides mimic the hormones that your body might release to signal to the brain that you are “full” – by artificially increasing your semaglutide count, then you can feel full without actually eating. The appeal for this, if trying to achieve weight loss, is obvious: you can enter a calorie deficit without feeling the instinctive drive to consume food.
The Upsides: Too Good To Be True?
Obesity is a dangerous condition; it leaves you much more exposed to illness, heart attacks, strokes, skeletal issues, and, frankly, ill-health in general. As such, a drug which (not quite instantly, but within a matter of months) could cause significant weight loss with no suffering is hugely appealing. To get back into shape (with all of the benefits that entails) without the pain of dieting would, to many, truly be the holy grail of modern medicine, and there are those who claim that drugs like Ozempic even have other health benefits per se, although these have not been clinically proven, so I am not going to repeat them here.
Potential Issues With Ozempic
However, it is not the case that there are no downsides to the use of Ozempic for weight loss. Medical professionals have lodged concerns and complaints about it from a wide variety of perspectives, all of which are worth considering before starting a potentially harmful treatment. Firstly, issues with the nature of the weight loss itself have been raised – studies suggest that, as well as losing fat, Ozempic can cause highly significant muscle loss, and thus potentially leave someone taking it lighter but much less strong relative to their weight.
There is also a long list of possible side effects to the drug. Ozempic itself admits that it often induces nausea in new users; further, they warn that it might cause pancreatitis, hypoglycemia, changes to your vision, severe stomach problems, and many more, less severe issues. It would therefore be prudent to consider carefully whether other methods of losing weight might be better for you in a holistic sense.
The Practicalities of Widespread Ozempic Use and Demand
As with all limited commodities, a significant increase in demand for Ozempic could put massive tension on existing supply chains. While with any other commodity this would not be a problem for anyone but the company which is responsible for production and distribution (you would hope that the invisible hand of the market would ensure that such a commodity ended up where it was most in demand), the implications of such a surge in demand for a medicine are somewhat different. This is because if millions of people decide to take it for cosmetic reasons, it might mean that sufferers of type 2 diabetes were unable to access the drug to treat their condition.
Ethical and Social Implications of Weight-loss Drugs
In addition to this moral jeopardy, commentators are worried about what widespread use of Ozempic for weight loss might mean for society more broadly. Will people get hooked and stop exercising? If they do, how would we prevent the price of the drug from skyrocketing? What are the moral implications of no-effort weight loss? Could it be made compulsory? All of these are questions that legislators will have to square up to in the not-too-distant future.
Naturally, the potential risks involved with Ozempic mean that it ought to be quite carefully regulated. It is important that, rather than self-medicating using a substance that they might not understand, people should seek permission from someone qualified to manage people’s relationships with drugs, like a doctor (with years of training and medical qualification) or a social worker (having completed an advanced standing online MSW program, for example).
Alternatives to Ozempic
Clearly, it is early days for Ozempic; we simply don’t know what the long-term effects (positive or negative) are likely to be on a personal, societal, or even global level yet. Given this, on balance, it might be worth trying more traditional ways to lose weight in the short to medium term. Ultimately, Ozempic simply makes the traditional method of weight loss easier; it is still possible to burn more calories than you consume without chemical assistance. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are reliable ways to stay in shape, and in both cases, they might lead to fringe social or hobby benefits too.
So there you have it, a mixed bag, with some pros, some cons, and lots of unknowns. You must reach your own conclusions, but in the opinion of this author, we must be hugely careful with anything that seems too good to be true, and Ozempic may just fall into that category.
