logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2024
36m 59s

Money Talks: Why weight-loss drugs will ...

The Economist
About this episode

More than 1bn people around the world are obese. That means there should be extraordinary demand for drugs to cure or mitigate the condition. Novo Nordisk is now Europe’s most valuable company and Eli Lilly’s market value has more than doubled. Both make the “miracle” drugs that can help people shed up to a fifth of their body weight. But these drugs promise to do more than boost drug companies’ profits. How will they reshape the economy?


Hosts: Alice Fulwood, Mike Bird and Tom Lee-Devlin. Guests: The Economist’s Georgia Banjo; pharmaceuticals analyst Michael Nedelcovych; and John Cawley, a professor of public policy and economics at Cornell University.


Sign up for our new weekly newsletter dissecting the big themes in markets, business and the economy at www.economist.com/moneytalks 


Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+


For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Dec 2021
Money Talks: 2021 unwrapped
From Ever Given to Evergrande, via empty crisp packets and the metaverse, host Henry Tricks leads a brave band of The Economist’s finest through the tribulations and triumphs of the past year in business, finance and economics. The team unpack the data that made their jaws drop, ... Show More
32m 57s
Dec 2021
Money Talks: Meet the cryptokings
Four men hold the keys to a $2trn market. Our finance correspondent Matthieu Favas speaks to some of the most powerful people in the world of cryptocurrencies—the founders of the most important crypto exchanges—to find out what it takes to stay on top in the most volatile market ... Show More
35m 36s
Dec 2021
Money Talks: The not-so-great resignation
The idea that the pandemic has prompted people to quit their jobs en masse fills corporate earnings calls, headlines and social media. But do the data hold up? Host Patrick Lane investigates what is really going on in the labour market. Will the Biden administration usher in a ne ... Show More
28m 37s
Recommended Episodes
May 13
Why Do Americans Pay So Much for Drugs?
On Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order telling drugmakers to slash the prices of their medicines. Once again, the president showed an amazing nose for interesting questions. Statistically, the U.S. accounts for 4 percent of the world’s population but nearly 5 ... Show More
1h 9m
May 15
Drug war: Trump takes on big pharma
Drugs in America often cost more than three times as much as those elsewhere. But Donald Trump’s plan to cut prescription costs and impose tariffs may have unintended consequences for consumers. Inside North Korea’s crypto-heist: from hermit kingdom to hacking kingdom (10:45). An ... Show More
25m 6s
May 15
Drug war: Trump takes on big pharma
Drugs in America often cost more than three times as much as those elsewhere. But Donald Trump’s plan to cut prescription costs and impose tariffs may have unintended consequences for consumers. Inside North Korea’s crypto-heist: from hermit kingdom to hacking kingdom (10:45). An ... Show More
25m 6s
Aug 2024
The chips are down: will diet drugs devour junk food?
Snack-food companies have long shown their adaptability to changing diets. How could the rise of appetite-suppressing drugs and fears about ultra-processed foods change the food we consume? How hearing aids and other lifestyle choices can reduce your risk of dementia (11:00). And ... Show More
22m 30s
Apr 7
Doomed traders: Trump’s tariff fallout
Since Donald Trump announced punishing tariffs on “Liberation Day” last week, stock markets have fallen and governments and businesses scrambled to respond. Our correspondent discusses the impact on the global economy. Do personalised diets really improve gut health (9:16)? And g ... Show More
21m 20s
Oct 2024
Hot shot: the wider promise of weight-loss jabs
First they treated diabetes. Then obesity. Now GLP-1 drugs are being tested on a range of other diseases too. Though the US economy is roaring, many Americans are glum about its prospects. How could that affect the election (9:02)? And our podcast on why Chinese migrants are maki ... Show More
23m 58s
Apr 7
Doomed traders: Trump’s tariff fallout
Since Donald Trump announced punishing tariffs on “Liberation Day” last week, stock markets have fallen and governments and businesses scrambled to respond. Our correspondent discusses the impact on the global economy. Do personalised diets really improve gut health (9:16)? And g ... Show More
21m 20s
Jan 2025
The Truth About Ozempic, Sugar and Big Food - Dr. Peter Attia
Peter Attia, MD, is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of simultaneously lengthening their lifespan and increasing their health span | Buy gold and earn interest on it with *Monetary Metals* - Lea ... Show More
1h 6m
Aug 2024
Hail Harris: the Democratic convention begins
As Democrats convene in Chicago, polls suggest Kamala Harris is ahead by a whisker in the US presidential race. Can the party sustain the momentum? In hospital, your recovery may depend not just on diagnostic technology or the drugs you take, but whether your doctor is a woman (1 ... Show More
23m 21s
Sep 2024
How GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic Are Boosting Biopharma Stocks
Karen Andersen, biotechnology strategist for Morningstar Research Services, discusses what GLP-1 drugs’ demand means for the biopharma industry’s five-year outlook. And whether the weight-loss drugs pose a threat to snack food stocks.Why GLP-1 Drugs Are in Demand Competition Betw ... Show More
14m 33s