"Ozempic and the other GLP-1 medications are among the most important medical breakthroughs of our time. Off the Scales captures the many facets of this fast-moving story, including the decades of scientific research that led to their creation, the stories of early patients and the culture change required to understand obesity as a medical condition rather than a character flaw. Donnellan is a gifted storyteller who brings complicated subjects to life and offers a hopeful vision for how these therapies are transforming lives and reshaping our approach to health care." --Leana Wen, M.D., Washington Post contributing columnist and author of Lifelines "The creation of Ozempic has changed lives and challenged long-held assumptions about obesity, but it also raises a whole set of new questions. Donnellan chronicles the search for miracles, the ensuing gold rush, the lives impacted, the biases overturned and solidified, and where this paradigm shift will leave us. Off the Scales is the definitive account of a singular global force--essential reading to help us understand what has been unleashed and what may be coming next.
" --Andy Slavitt, author of Preventable "Off the Scales is the fascinating and thoroughly researched story of a medical miracle. Aimee Donnellan has tackled a complex subject--the discovery of GLP-1s--and distilled it into an engaging and deeply compassionate study of a breakthrough that is poised to change society, for better or worse (or maybe both). An essential read for our times." --Jonathan Cohn, author of The Ten Year War and Sick "Aimee Donnellan provides a riveting and impeccably researched deep-dive into the murky world of drug development and casts a light on the little-known characters who have dedicated their lives to rewriting the rules of science. Off the Scales also chronicles the decades-long clash of titans between the bulging fast food industry and the powerful weight loss industry--and introduces us to the almost-too-good-to-be-true drug that may well end it all. Ultimately, the book presents a scathing critique of the big corporations that have shamelessly leveraged people''s insecurities to get rich, and offers a mixed prognosis for the future: Ozempic may hold a world of promise, but there could be a far darker side that we''re only just starting to see." --Josie Cox, journalist and author of Women, Money, Power "A nuanced view of the transformational promise--for better and worse--of these unsettling medical marvels." -- Wall Street Journal "As a work of reportage, Off the Scales does a wonderful job of explaining the origins of Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs and their dramatic impact on society.
Today, a ''cure'' has arrived, and this book captures the enormity of that moment. The question now is whether these drugs can actually make the country healthier, and not just thinner." -- Washington Examiner "Like all great tales of scientific discovery, the weight loss saga is rich in serendipity, rivalry and obsession--all of which Donnellan recounts with relish.Commendably, she is careful not to treat the GLP-1 drugs an unalloyed good. She addresses their side-effects, such as severe nausea, and their use by non-obese people to the potential detriment of their health." -- The Guardian "An enlightening debut history of Ozempic and its societal impact.Donnellan cogently sizes up its future potential: GLP-1 could lead to a healthier population empowered to demand healthier foods and living conditions, or it could further expand the gulf between rich and poor. An astute, fair-minded primer.
" -- Publishers Weekly "A tangled plot stuffed with big money, towering egos, and innovative science, capably told and without an ounce of flab." -- Kirkus "Donnellan has performed a public service by taking down the first draft of history: by speaking to the main players and untangling the rivalries and disputes. This is not, though, the final word. The story of Ozempic has only just begun." -- The Times of London.