Tycoon Elon Musk opted this Wednesday to lower the price of weight loss drugs, such as Ozempic, to improve the health of Americans in response to criticism of the United States health system for being the most expensive in the world.
“Nothing would do more to improve the health, life expectancy and quality of life of Americans than making GLP inhibitors very low cost to the public,” he said in his message on comes closer to him,” he added.
Musk’s comment comes after statements by Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, in which he mentioned that it was unfair that the United States had the most expensive health system in the world and that this served to the profit of a few companies, but not to increase “our life expectancy,” according to the New York Post.
Despite being a defender of the free market and non-intervention, Musk has chosen this time to propose controlling the price of a medicine.
Musk was chosen by Donald Trump to direct, together with businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) of his new Administration, with which they intend to reduce bureaucracy and cut billions of dollars in public spending.
It remains to be seen how they could lower the price of these medications to reduce obesity, something that has already been committed to on other occasions, if the objective is to drastically reduce federal investment.
“The vast majority of health spending occurs near the end of life and obesity usually plays an important role,” he said in X in July when he defined the power of these medications as “the greatest advance for the quality of life.” of the 21st century.”
GLP-1 agonists, as they are technically called, are medications aimed at people with type 2 diabetes or who are overweight to regulate blood sugar levels, appetite and metabolism.
In addition, this medication, which transmits a feeling of satiety, has achieved enormous popularity among Americans in recent months for its weight loss effects, although its possible side effects have not yet been sufficiently studied.
Elon Musk and presenter Oprah Winfrey are some of the people who admit to having used them.
With information from EFE
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