Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was recently nominated to lead HHS during Donald Trump's second presidency, has cast doubt on Ozempic's potential health effects.
The FDA approved the injectable medicine to treat Type 2 diabetes in 2017, and it could be approved to treat kidney disease-related events by early 2025. Other potential indications may follow, with studies suggesting Ozempic could treat conditions such as sleep apnea, dementia and other conditions.
GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic have gained widespread attention, but their high cost and side effects have also led to significant debate among lawmakers and clinicians.
Fox News' Greg Gutfeld interviewed Mr. Kennedy about Ozempic in October. Here are notes on the 2-minute conversation, which the two shared on social media platforms, with context:
Greg Gutfeld: "So there's this new study suggesting that this miracle weight loss drug, Ozempic, can also decrease opioid and alcohol abuse substantially, as well as reduce sleep apnea and cognitive decline. Which sounds like great news, but I'm always suspect when a drug ends up getting more than one usage. It's like now, it's got seven usages. Is this going to help make America healthy again?"
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: "No, this isn't. You know, I saw this headline yesterday, and I need to look at the methodology of that study, because I don't believe it. The EU is, right now, investigating Ozempic for suicidal ideation."
RFK Jr. (continued): "It may be that the drug, because it suppresses all the reward pathways, so it makes you want to do everything less. And that may be part of the answer for this. But the idea that a drug is going to cure drug addiction or alcoholism..."
RFK Jr. (continued): "We're spending $1,600 a month on this drug. There's a bill right now before Congress that will make it available to everybody who's overweight, which is 74% of the American population. That alone will cost $3 trillion a year. If we spend about one fifth of that giving good food, three meals a day, to every man, woman and child in our country, we could solve the obesity and diabetes epidemic overnight for a tiny fraction of the cost. So they're trying to sell this, there's a huge push to sell this to the American public."
RFK Jr. (continued): "[Novo Nordisk is] now the biggest company in Europe, but they're not marketing it in Europe. They make this drug in Denmark, and in Denmark, they do not recommend it for diabetes or for obesity. They recommend dietary and behavioral changes. In our country, they're counting on selling it to Americans because we're so stupid and so addicted to drugs."