Category: Public Insurance
Leprosy is on the Rise in the United States
Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae and the more recently discovered M. lepromatosis. It is a curable yet neglected tropical disease, entirely treatable with the right care, but nonetheless a disease that still occurs in more than 120 countries.
About 150 cases of leprosy are reported in the US each year. Unique strains of M. leprae have been detected in US patients, though most cases are people who have traveled from countries where leprosy is present or endemic.
Counterfeit Weight Loss Drugs Endanger Patients and Profits
Semaglutide is in short supply. That is the generic name for a weight loss drug from the class of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. You may have heard of them under the brand names, Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy. Injections are taken weekly, and a month’s supply is around $1,400 if paying cash with a GoodRx coupon. Semaglutide is also prescribed for diabetes that does not respond to other treatments. Obese patients can expect to lose anywhere from 15% to 20% of their body weight. That is why it is in high demand and supplies are tight. The drug class is new and it works. Food cravings fall and patients report forgetting to eat. Oprah even admitted taking it.
Tuesday Links
- George W. Bush’s PEPFAR initiative is credited with saving at least 20 million lives. Nick Kristof calls it “the single best policy of any president in my lifetime.”
- Old people are the wealthiest and most powerful demographic in the United States. Despite this, they are overwhelmingly beneficiaries of the welfare state, have seniority rights in employment, and are a protected class when it comes to anti-discrimination laws. This essay argues that this is a bad thing …..
- Dickens on poverty (and an unkind word for economists).
- People think chatbots are more empathetic than doctors 80% of the time.