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A new survey has found that nearly half of adults in the United States are interested in taking prescription drugs for weight loss, such as Ozempic or Wegovy. In a KFF health tracking poll published on 3 August, researchers reported that 45 per cent of adults said they’d be interested in taking a “safe and effective” prescription drug for weight loss. Meanwhile, seven in 10 adults said they’ve heard at least “a little” about a new class of drugs being used for weight loss, with about one in five saying they have heard “a lot” about these drugs. Ozempic is a type 2 diabetes medication known for its weight loss side effects. Similar semaglutide injections, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, have been specifically approved for the treatment of obesity and weight loss. This class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists works by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), regulating blood sugar levels and slowing down the rate at which food leaves the stomach to create the feeling of fullness. Of the US adults surveyed, older groups were some of the most aware of prescription weight loss drugs, with 76 per cent being those who have been told by a doctor in the past five years that they are overweight or obese. Nearly 60 per cent of those surveyed said they were currently trying to lose weight as well. While there was an overall interest in taking a prescription weight loss drug, that interest significantly decreased when people were asked whether they would take the medication as a routine injection. Only 16 per cent of adults said they would still take Ozempic or Wegovy, even if it wasn’t covered by their health insurance and was not specifically approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for weight loss. In fact, most people believed that insurance companies should cover the cost of weight loss drugs for adults who are overweight or obese, with an overwhelming 80 per cent of adults. Additionally, a large majority of adults believed the substantial profits that pharmaceutical companies have made from increased demand for weight loss drugs is a major factor contributing to the cost of injections like Ozempic and Wegovy. According to Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company behind these prescription drugs for diabetes and weight loss, the list price for Ozempic can cost $935.77 per month without health insurance. Although the majority of adults said they trust pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk to provide “reliable information” about safety and side effects of GLP-1 agonists, only 22 per cent said they trust these companies to price their products fairly. The FDA has listed the most common side effects of taking Wegovy as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, and digestive disorders. More serious complications can occur from use of Wegovy or Mounjaro, such as the “potential risk of thyroid C-cell tumours,” pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, acute kidney injury, increased heart rate, and suicidal behaviour or thinking. Taking Ozempic can also lead to possible thyroid tumours, including cancer, pancreatitis, changes in vision, and kidney and gallbladder problems. Recently, several patients reported suffering from severe gastroparesis, also known as stomach paralysis, after taking the prescription weight loss medications. In a report from CNN, two people claimed that their “stomachs are paralysed” after taking Ozempic. “I wish I never touched it. I wish I’d never heard of it in my life,” Joanie Knight, a 37-year-old from Louisiana, told CNN. “This medicine made my life hell. So much hell. It has cost me money. It cost me a lot of stress; it cost me days and nights and trips with my family. It’s cost me a lot, and it’s not worth it. The price is too high.” One woman was also diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome, which causes her to throw up multiple times a day. “I’ve almost been off Ozempic for a year, but I’m still not back to my normal,” said Emily Wright, a 38-year-old teacher from Toronto. Shortly after the report, the FDA shared in a statement with The Independent that it has become aware of stomach paralysis occurring among patients taking the medications. “The FDA has received reports of gastroparesis with semaglutide and liraglutide, of which some documented the adverse event as not recovered after discontinuation of the respective product at the time of the report,” the agency said. However, officials clarified that they were unable to determine whether taking Ozempic or Wegovy was the cause of stomach paralysis, or if it was caused by a different issue. “Gastroparesis can be a complication of diabetes that is related to long-standing or poorly controlled disease, further complicating the ability to determine what role the drugs played in the reported events,” the FDA added. In response to reports of stomach paralysis, drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk noted that these medications have been used to treat type 2 diabetes “for more than 15 years”, and for the “treatment of obesity” for eight years. “Semaglutide has been extensively examined in robust clinical development programs, large real world evidence studies and has cumulatively over 9.5 million patient years of exposure,” a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk said in a statement to The Independent. “Gastrointestinal (GI) events are well-known side effects of the GLP-1 class. For semaglutide, the majority of GI side effects are mild to moderate in severity and of short duration. GLP-1’s are known to cause a delay in gastric emptying, as noted in the label of each of our GLP-1 RA medications. Symptoms of delayed gastric emptying, nausea and vomiting are listed as side effects.” Read More Obese people on weight-loss jabs ‘should be prepared to stay on them for life’ Ozempic users report stomach paralysis as weight loss drug side effect: ‘I wish I never touched it’ Sharon Osbourne says she was ‘nauseous’ for weeks after taking Ozempic to lose weight Sharon Osbourne reveals what Ozempic did to her when she was taking it Ozempic users report stomach paralysis as side effect: ‘I wish I never touched it’ Lorraine Candy: ‘Perimenopausal rage made me unravel’

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Florence Pugh stepped in to save Emily Blunt from a possible wardrobe malfunction at the Oppenheimer photocall in London. The Oppenheimer cast was posing for photos in Trafalgar Square on Wednesday 12 July when Pugh came to Blunt’s rescue after her jacket appeared to come loose. The Devil Wears Prada star attended the photocall while sporting a gold, metallic suit with black buttons. As for the Don’t Worry Darling actor, Pugh arrived at the Oppenheimer photocall in a blue Moschino shirt dress with a deep, plunging neckline. According to the DailyMail, the Mary Poppins star’s gold jacket popped open in front of cameras, prompting Pugh to rush over and cover her pal’s suit. In photos from the red carpet, the pair could be seen giggling about the near-wardrobe malfunction as Pugh helped hold Blunt’s jacket closed. Meanwhile, fans praised Pugh for lending Blunt a helping hand and gushed over the pair’s friendship. “Florence Pugh is a real one for protecting Emily Blunt from a wardrobe malfunction,” one person tweeted. “They’re sooo cute together,” another said, while someone else wrote: “Literally my worlds colliding” In Oppenheimer, which hits theatres on 21 July, Emily Blunt stars as Kitty Oppenheimer, the wife of physicist J Robert Oppenheimer – played by Cillian Murphy in the Christopher Nolan film. The Irish actor, 47, leads the highly-anticipated biographical drama as “the father of the atomic bomb,” whose World War II invention changed the nature of war forever. Florence Pugh, 27, portrays physician Jean Tatlock, who was known for her romantic relationship with Oppenheimer. However, fans recently came to Murphy and Pugh’s defense when people began “griping about the age gap” between the co-stars. As critics condemned the 20-year age gap between the two actors, many people pointed out that “Tatlock was 22 years old when she started dating Oppenheimer and 29 when she died”. “The on-screen age gap discourse is very valid but this isn’t the film for it because Oppenheimer & Tatlock had a 10-year age gap,” another agreed. “So Cillian & Florence Pugh are perfect casting.” As for Blunt, the 40-year-old actor recently revealed that she will be taking a break from acting to spend more time with her two daughters, who she shares with husband John Krasinski. Blunt opened up about her decision to take a brief hiatus on a recent episode of iHeart’s Table for Two with Bruce Bozzi podcast. “This year, I’m not working. I worked quite a bit last year and my oldest baby is nine, so we’re in the last year of single digits,” the British actor explained. “And I just feel [like] there are cornerstones to their day that are so important when they’re little.” “It’s: ‘Will you wake me up? Will you take me to school? Will you pick me up? Will you put me to bed?’” she continued. “And I just need to be there for all of them for a good stretch. And I just felt that in my bones.” In addition to Murphy, Blunt, and Pugh, Oppenheimer also features a star-studded cast of Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr, Rami Malek, Gary Oldman, Kenneth Branagh, Matthew Modine, and Casey Affleck. Read More Emily Blunt opens up about decision to take year-long acting hiatus: ‘I just felt that in my bones’ ‘No need to infantalise her’: Fans defend Florence Pugh and Cillian Murphy’s age gap in Oppenheimer Oppenheimer hailed as ‘spectacular’ in rapturous first reviews following Paris premiere Florence Pugh makes return to Paris Fashion Week in sheer dress following uproar Fans can’t get enough of Barbie’s already sold-out collaboration with Crocs Fan breaks down the outfits worn by Jeremy Allen White in The Bear

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