Mexican Navy Busts Major Meth Lab
Mexican forces have dismantled a massive meth lab in Zacatecas, dealing a blow to a Sinaloa Cartel faction.
An analysis of U.S. health claims reveals that while GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy may aid weight loss, they significantly increase medical costs—rising to $18,507 annually—without reducing obesity-related health events, raising concerns for insurers and employers.
An analysis of U.S. health insurance claims shared with Reuters indicates that while medications like Wegovy may help reduce weight, they do not lower medical expenses.
After two years of treatment with Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy or other GLP-1 drugs, the average annual cost of care for patients with obesity rose to $18,507- a 46% increase from the prior average of $12,695. This data, provided by pharmacy benefits manager Prime Therapeutics, highlights the financial implications of obesity treatment.
In a control group of patients not taking GLP-1 drugs, costs increased by 14% over the same period. For those on GLP-1 medications, the rise in expenses was mainly due to higher prescription drug costs, though medical costs also grew. The analysis found no decrease in obesity-related medical events - such as heart attacks, strokes, or type 2 diabetes diagnoses -compared to the control group.
Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, makers of the GLP-1 weight-loss drug Zepbound, have earned billions since their U.S. launches. While they claim that their medications could reduce healthcare costs linked to obesity, many U.S. employers and officials hesitate to cover these effective but costly treatments due to high upfront expenses and uncertain future savings.
"The budget hit here is frightening for a lot of governments and private entities," said Ben Ippolito, an economist at the American Enterprise Institute. He noted that the potential demand for these drugs is immense. Analysts predict the weight-loss drug market could reach $150 billion annually in the next decade.
Novo Nordisk emphasized that treating obesity is associated with improved medical outcomes, even though officials have not yet determined how to quantify these savings. Eli Lilly did not respond to a request for comment.
A study by Prime Therapeutics found that only one-in-four patients prescribed GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy or Ozempic for weight loss continued taking them after two years, leading to concerns about the cost-effectiveness of these medications.
With an estimated additional expense of $11,200 per patient in the first two years, Prime cautioned that without sustained use and positive health outcomes, insurers may need to reconsider their coverage of these weight-loss drugs.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots, monitoring a Chinese navy warship as it navigated Australian waters, were alerted to a live-fire exercise via a civilian radio broadcast, defense officials revealed on Tuesday.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region, followed by a 6.4-magnitude tremor, killing 2056 people and leaving 3,900 injured. The quake caused building collapses in Myanmar and Thailand, prompting emergency declarations and ongoing rescue efforts.
As the world shifts toward clean energy at an ever-accelerating pace, large economies are scrambling to secure reliable supply chains for rare earth minerals. These minerals, once seen as mere industrial components, have become a political tool in the global power struggle
Russian forces carried out a drone attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, late Wednesday, injuring at least twenty one people and causing structural damage, according to Ukrainian officials.
A global survey by AXA and IPSOS reveals that workplace stress, anxiety, and burnout are worsening, with financial instability, job insecurity, and constant exposure to negative news among the key factors affecting mental well-being
A Chinese medical team has successfully transplanted a gene-edited pig liver into a brain-dead human, marking a breakthrough in xenotransplantation. The organ functioned normally, showing no signs of acute rejection or viral transmission during a 10-day observation period.
Slovakia has declared an emergency situation following the discovery of foot-and-mouth disease on three farms in the southern part of the country, the government announced on Tuesday.
AstraZeneca, opens new tab said it will spend $2.5 billion on a research and development hub in Beijing, as the drugmaker scrambles to revive business in its second-biggest market after scandals including the arrest of its China president last year.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a national trade plan and relief measures as Canada faces rising economic pressure from U.S. tariffs.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.