{"id":2271457,"date":"2024-06-19T12:19:02","date_gmt":"2024-06-19T16:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pharmaceutical-industry-is-bankrolling-obesity-group-that-promotes-body-positivity\/"},"modified":"2024-06-19T12:25:22","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T16:25:22","slug":"pharmaceutical-industry-is-bankrolling-obesity-group-that-promotes-body-positivity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pharmaceutical-industry-is-bankrolling-obesity-group-that-promotes-body-positivity\/","title":{"rendered":"Pharmaceutical Industry Funds Obesity Group Advocating &#8216;Body Positivity"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpharmaceutical-industry-is-bankrolling-obesity-group-that-promotes-body-positivity%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2271457&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The world&#8217;s\u200c leading pharmaceutical companies\u200c achieving significant profits from new obesity drugs are financing a key proponent of the \u201chealth at every size\u201d movement. A report by Baron Public Affairs highlights that these corporations fund\u2063 trade groups \u2063that promote obesity \u200cas \u200da chronic disease needing medical treatment rather \u200bthan a symptom of underlying issues. One such group, the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), heavily funded\u200c by \u200c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/meet-newsguard-the-government-backed-censorship-tool-billed-as-an-arbiter-of-truth\/\" title=\"Meet NewsGuard: The Government-Backed Censorship Tool Billed As An Arbiter Of Truth\">major pharmaceutical \u200dcompanies<\/a>\u200b like Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and others, is a central figure in the &#8220;body positivity&#8221; movement. These companies, among the largest globally, benefit from advocating for obesity\u2062 to be seen as a chronic condition, which aligns with \u2062their\u200c business interests in selling weight management drugs. The OAC, founded in 2005, stands against weight stigma and receives significant\u2064 funding from these pharmaceutical companies. It pledges to fight weight \u200dbias while being backed by the\u200d same \u2064industry that profits\u200d from treating obesity with drugs, \u2063some \u2063of which have substantial\u2062 side\u200c effects\u200d and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cdc-quietly-removes-covid-vaccine-adverse-events-reporting-from-website\/\" title=\"CDC removes COVID vaccine adverse events reporting from website.\">uncertain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/young-americans-must-lead-the-way-in-opposing-additional-covid-shutdowns\/\" title=\"Young Americans Must Lead The Way In Opposing Additional COVID Shutdowns\">long-term consequences<\/a><\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-content\">\n<p>The world\u2019s top pharmaceutical companies raking record profits from the latest generation of obesity drugs are bankrolling a group behind the contemporary phenomenon of \u201chealth at every size.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A new <a href=\"https:\/\/5387017.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net\/hubfs\/5387017\/The%20Insiders%20Guide%20to%20Americas%20Health%20Care%20Wars.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baronpa.com\/health-care-advocacy-group-database\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">database<\/a> published by Baron Public Affairs last month outlines pharmaceutical sponsorships for trade organizations promoting obesity as a chronic disease warranting health care coverage rather than a preventable symptom of underlying metabolic dysfunction. One such group with funding from major drug manufacturers Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and Boehringer Ingelheim is the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), an organization at the center of the far-left movement for \u201cbody positivity.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1994552187\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-d0248952a03619a93d53b182c3be94fe fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-d0248952a03619a93d53b182c3be94fe\"><\/div>\n<p>According to the database released by Baron Public Affairs, OAC has received contributions from at least six pharmaceutical companies in 2022, including Amgen, Biohaven, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer. The most significant sponsorships have come from the producer of Ozempic, Novo Nordisk, which contributed an undisclosed amount of more than $100,000. Pfizer reportedly gave $100,000, while Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Zepbound, and Boehringer Ingelheim, a company with its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2024\/01\/17\/weight-loss-drugs-boehringer-ingelheim-terns-viking-may-join-market.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/vitamin-k-for-the-two-biggest-mens-health-problems\/\" title=\"Vitamin K for the Two Biggest Men's Health Problems\">weight-loss drug<\/a><\/a> in progress, each gave between $50,000 and $100,000.<\/p>\n<p>Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are the two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visualcapitalist.com\/cp\/worlds-50-largest-pharmaceutical-companies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">largest<\/a> pharmaceutical companies in the world, with a combined market cap of more than $1 trillion. Pfizer and Amgen are the 9th and 10th largest pharmaceutical giants, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>Other sponsors listed on the OAC <a href=\"https:\/\/www.obesityaction.org\/chairmans-council\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">website<\/a> include the American Society for Metabolic &#038; Bariatric Surgery, Regeneron, and The Obesity Society. According to the report from Baron Public Affairs, 35 percent, or roughly a third of OAC\u2019s revenues, have come from the pharmaceutical industry.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">OAC and Body Positivity<\/h2>\n<p>An obesity nonprofit determined to radically <a href=\"https:\/\/www.obesityaction.org\/get-educated\/public-resources\/brochures-guides\/understanding-obesity-stigma-brochure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">destigmatize<\/a> obesity on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry is akin to Big Tobacco funding a front group to destigmatize smoking. OAC has been a primary vehicle for the grassroots movement to accept obesity as the new norm in a nation where nearly 74 percent of American adults aged 20 and older are either overweight or obese, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/fastats\/obesity-overweight.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according<\/a> to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). A brochure on the OAC website reads, \u201cGiven how acceptable weight stigma is in our society, transforming societal attitudes and enacting laws that prohibit discrimination based on weight are needed in order to eliminate the problem of stigma toward individuals affected by obesity.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-7147f41e63094729a1ba8bbb29506fa6 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-7147f41e63094729a1ba8bbb29506fa6\"><\/div>\n<p>In 2005, the OAC was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.obesityaction.org\/about\/purpose\/who-we-are\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">launched<\/a> \u201cwith the goal that this organization could create needed change for those who are living with and\/or are affected by the disease of obesity.\u201d Nearly 20 years later, the coalition operates today with industry funding plus dues from more than 80,000 members.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201caction\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.obesityaction.org\/about\/purpose\/beliefs-and-demands\/#:~:text=To%20be%20treated%20with%20dignity,as%20employment%2C%20education%20and%20more\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">demanded<\/a> by the OAC includes the \u201celimination of weight bias in our society and laws\u201d based on the \u201cbelief\u201d that obesity is a matter of \u201cdisease\u201d out of individuals\u2019 control rather than one of personal responsibility. The group\u2019s \u201cStop Weight Bias Campaign\u201d has its own website and is <a href=\"https:\/\/stopweightbias.com\/be-part-of-the-solution\/partners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sponsored<\/a> by Eli Lilly and WeightWatchers, the legacy weight-loss company now <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/6464785\/weightwatchers-prescribing-weight-loss-drugs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prescribing<\/a> members the GLP-1 agonists produced by Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, the OAC held a panel at the group\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.obesityaction.org\/ywm2023-virtual-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">virtual convention<\/a> on \u201cBody Positivity\u201d to \u201cunpack common cultural perceptions around weight stigma and diet culture.\u201d The OAC even has an advocacy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.obesityaction.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Statement-on-Size-Acceptance-and-Body-Positivity.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a> on \u201cSize Acceptance and Body Positivity,\u201d which reads \u201cwe need to promote size acceptance and lessen the cultural obsession with thinness.\u201d The statement adds that obesity is a \u201cchronic disease\u201d that cannot be \u201cdiagnosed by body mass index (BMI) or body size.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need to change perceptions of body size and end weight bias, stigma and discrimination,\u201d the statement reads.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-d411ed3abac6882c25695fd5b4fcbfcd fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-d411ed3abac6882c25695fd5b4fcbfcd\"><\/div>\n<p>The OAC also posts journalistic \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.obesityaction.org\/action-through-advocacy\/weight-bias\/media-guidelines-for-obesity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">guidelines<\/a>\u201d that are endorsed by The Obesity Society (TOS) and the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA), both of which have also received funding from the pharmaceutical industry according to the Baron health report. The recommendations instruct reporters to promote diversity and steer clear of \u201can unnecessary or distorted emphasis on body weight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDescriptions of a person\u2019s body weight should not imply negative assumptions about his or her character, intelligence, abilities, or lifestyle habits,\u201d the guidelines read. Journalists should \u201cconsider carefully whether terminology and language used to describe body weight could be offensive to persons with obesity\u201d and are encouraged to avoid the terms \u201cfat\u201d or \u201cseverely obese.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOAC\u2019s focus on the needs and interests of individuals living with the disease of obesity has existed long before pharmaceutical companies became active in this space,\u201d OAC Spokeswoman Kendall Griffey told The Federalist. \u201cOur commitment to addressing weight bias and stigma remains a top priority. Stigma and bias impact people with obesity whether or not they choose to seek treatment. OAC\u2019s view has always been that stigma and bias keep people from seeking and receiving help.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Dark Side of \u2018Miracle\u2019 Drugs<\/h2>\n<p>Pharmaceutical companies operating in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/chronic-disease\/data-research\/facts-stats\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$4.5 trillion<\/a> health care industry have an obvious incentive to market supposed \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/obesity-drug-tirzepatide-mounjaro-eli-lilly-ozempic-wegovy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">game changer<\/a>\u201d weight-loss drugs to a chronically overweight population that is fighting a losing war against obesity. The drugs themselves, however, prescribed to treat a preventable condition that already has a cure, come with their own long list of complications for patients desperate to lose weight after government guidelines on optimal nutrition have failed them for years. The medications initially invented to treat patients with type 2 diabetes do not come without risk.<\/p>\n<p>Common <a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/treatments\/13901-glp-1-agonists\">side effects<\/a> of the medications include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some users have reported more severe gastrointestinal issues, such as pancreatitis and stomach paralysis, and the latter condition recently provoked a <a href=\"https:\/\/lawsuitlegalnews.com\/ozempic-lawsuit\/stomach-paralysis\/#:~:text=Named%20defendants%20include%20Novo%20Nordisk,Mounjaro%20for%20similar%20medical%20purposes.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lawsuit<\/a> against Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.<\/p>\n<p>Consumers of the popular weight-loss medications have also <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/04\/17\/lifestyle\/experts-reveal-why-ozempic-appears-to-change-peoples-personalities\/\">reported<\/a> a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2023\/08\/28\/1194526119\/ozempic-wegovy-drinking-alcohol-cravings-semaglutide\">decreased<\/a> desire to smoke, consume alcohol, or engage in sex, while experiencing increased levels of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. The reduced cravings are a sign of the medications\u2019 suppression of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which drives the brain to seek out rewards. The drugs\u2019 myriad psychological impacts, however, remain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/health\/psychological-effects-of-weight-loss-drugs-underexplored-5654629\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">underexplored<\/a>, and according to The New York Times, researchers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/08\/17\/health\/weight-loss-drugs-obesity-ozempic-wegovy.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">aren\u2019t even sure<\/a> exactly how the medications work to help people lose weight. Given the drugs have only recently been prescribed off-label to combat obesity, their long-term consequences for treating the problem also remain a mystery.<\/p>\n<p>Most health insurance plans will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthinsurance.org\/faqs\/does-health-insurance-cover-drugs-used-for-weight-loss-such-as-ozempic-wegovy-mounjaro-and-zepbound\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cover<\/a> the drugs if prescribed for another medical condition, but not solely for weight loss. In March, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded approval for Wegovy (manufactured by Novo Nordisk) to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death in people who are overweight or obese. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2024\/03\/22\/1240170094\/wegovy-medicare-part-d-weight-loss-drugs#:~:text=Wegovy%2C%20a%20semaglutide%20medication%2C%20will%20be%20covered%20by%20Medicare.,-George%20Frey%2FBloomberg&#038;text=For%20the%20first%20time%2C%20Medicare,enrollees%20in%20Part%20D%20plans.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According<\/a> to NPR, FDA approval opened the door for Medicare Part D enrollees to seek coverage for one of the \u201cnew blockbuster weight-loss drugs\u201d now \u201cfor the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Novo Nordisk\u2019s Politician Lobbyists<\/h2>\n<p>Coverage under Medicare has remained a goal for pharmaceutical companies since the latest class of weight-loss medications hit the market. The companies appear to have recruited prominent politicians in the effort to expand their base of customers with government-subsidized treatment. According to public lobbying records, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie lobbied on behalf of Novo Nordisk in 2020 and 2021, just before the FDA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/news-events\/press-announcements\/fda-approves-new-drug-treatment-chronic-weight-management-first-2014\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">approved<\/a> Wegovy for weight management in patients who suffer at least one other weight-related condition. Christie\u2019s firm, Christie 55 Solutions, received <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/federal-lobbying\/firms\/summary?cycle=2020&#038;id=D000104378\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$120,000<\/a> from the pharmaceutical giant in 2020 and $40,000 in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Christie\u2019s firm did not respond to The Federalist\u2019s repeated inquiries, but a lobbyist registration <a href=\"https:\/\/disclosurespreview.house.gov\/ld\/ldxmlrelease\/2020\/Q4\/301237106.xml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">form<\/a> kept by the House and Senate describes the former governor\u2019s work as dealing with \u201cregulation with respect to coverage of drug categories in Medicare Part D.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The government transparency website OpenSecrets lists other politicians who went to work for Novo Nordisk, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/federal-lobbying\/clients\/lobbyists?cycle=2024&#038;id=D000028050\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">including<\/a> former Rep. Ron Kind, a Democrat who represented Wisconsin in the House of Representatives from 1997 to 2023, and former Rep. Kurt Schrader, a Democrat who represented Oregon from 2009 to 2023. Kind was paid $80,000 by the company in 2024 and Schrader made $60,000. Earl Pomeroy, a Democrat who represented North Dakota\u2019s at-large district from 1993 to 2011, also made <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/federal-lobbying\/clients\/lobbyists?cycle=2019&#038;id=D000028050&#038;t0-Former+Members+of+Congress=Former+Members+of+Congress\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$240,000<\/a> lobbying for Novo Nordisk in 2019 and $40,000 in 2020. Former Rep. Jim Davis, a Democrat from Florida in the House from 1997 to 2007, is also listed on OpenSecrets as a lobbyist for Novo Nordisk who made <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/federal-lobbying\/clients\/lobbyists?cycle=2022&#038;id=D000028050&#038;t0-Former+Members+of+Congress=Former+Members+of+Congress\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">$200,000<\/a> in 2022.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-556aaa6e55dff3bc16188bf1f5e233d8 fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-556aaa6e55dff3bc16188bf1f5e233d8\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">    \t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Top pharmaceutical firms profiting from new obesity drugs are funding a group advocating &#8220;health at every size.&#8221; Baron Public Affairs&#8217; recent report reveals these companies&#8217; sponsorships of organizations that classify obesity as a chronic disease requiring medical treatment<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":494,"featured_media":2271458,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/53088268902_89622beec7_k-1-e1718806999918.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2271457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/53088268902_89622beec7_k-1-e1718806999918.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2271457","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/494"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2271457"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2271457\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2271458"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2271457"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2271457"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2271457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}