Gold in Them Thar Pills

In the 1800s, hoping to persuade independent miners to stay in their home state, a northern Georgia assayer gave a speech. But some traveled instead to the California Gold Rush, where renowned American writer Mark Twain interviewed them. The assayer’s original wording was rather uninspired, so Twain remodeled his slogan into the rallying cry, “There’s gold in them thar hills!” and put it in the mouth of a character called Mulberry Sellers, in the novel The American Claimant.

“There’s gold in them thar hills!” became a catchphrase for any situation where someone wanted to point out the opportunity for profit, and it is certainly appropriate to the field of anti-obesity therapeutics. Massive fortunes are made not only from the pharmaceuticals themselves, but from providing information about them.

Costly words

For instance, a report titled “Global Anti-Obesity Therapeutics Market Insights, Forecast to 2025” is available for only $3,900. If that sounds extreme, you ain’t heard nothin’ yet. Another publisher offers a comparable report on China alone for practically the same price, $4,000.

From that company, a complete copy of “Anti-Obesity Drugs: Global Market Analysis, Trends, and Forecasts” can be had for the magnificent price of $5,450 — unless the interested buyer wants more than one license, in which case the price goes up. Their pitch is,

This report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Rest of World. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2015 through 2024. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research.

The work begins with general background, and a review of currently available anti-obesity medications, as well as those in every stage of clinical trials. It covers not only pills, but such experimental delivery systems as a micro-needle skin patch. The report recaps what went wrong with anti-obesity drugs of the past. Currently available prescription drugs are reviewed, and their various mechanisms of action explained.

The inquiring customer can also learn about “off-label” products — in other words, medications that are not meant to be, but are, used for the purpose of weight loss. The industry’s handicaps are recognized, with separate chapters devoted to spiraling development costs described as “a major setback” and “a high entry barrier.”

The development of new drugs is described as high on the agenda, despite market restraints. The relevant chapter is titled, “Reluctance among Patients, Physicians, and Payers Hurts Market Prospects.” Still, despite the obstacles, there is optimism, as expressed by another chapter heading, “Anti-Obesity Drugs: A Market Characterized by High Unmet Needs.”

Our pain is their gain

A section is titled, “Key Obesity Statistics: Opportunity Indicator.” The tragedy of the worldwide obesity epidemic and the rising incidence of chronic associated diseases are, to these financial wizards, nothing but “growth drivers,” while weight-loss alternatives are “market dampeners.” Childhood obesity is modestly described as “a market with unmet needs,” and a chapter is titled, “Childhood Obesity — Catching Them Young.”

Online drug stores are congratulated for boosting sales. In analyzing the competitive landscape for the benefit of investors, the report drills down to such specific details as, “CohBar Presents Preclinical Data of CB4209/CB4211 Program at the AASLD Liver Meeting.”

It’s a big, fat world out there

In addition to detailed profiles of a total of 25 pharmaceutical corporations, the volume features detailed analyses of global and regional market perspectives, broken down by country. Europe is touted as “a market with vast potential.” Germany is hailed as Europe’s largest anti-obesity market. Not surprisingly, America is celebrated as the world’s largest market for this genre of pharmaceuticals, and any buyer with $5,450 can lean back, put their feet up on the desk, and read “Top Ranked States in the US based on Fatness, Obesity, and Overweight Regulatory Environment.”

Your responses and feedback are welcome!

Source: “Anti-Obesity Therapeutics Market — A comprehensive study by Key Players: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eisai, FlaxoSithKline, Novo Nordisk,” Journallic.com, 05/14/14
Source: “2019 Anti-Obesity Drugs Report: Global Market Analysis, Trends and Forecasts Through 2015-2024— ResearchAndMarkets.com,” Yahoo.com, 06/12/19
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Profiles: Kids Struggling with Weight

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The Book

OVERWEIGHT: What Kids Say explores the obesity problem from the often-overlooked perspective of children struggling with being overweight.

About Dr. Robert A. Pretlow

Dr. Robert A. Pretlow is a pediatrician and childhood obesity specialist. He has been researching and spreading awareness on the childhood obesity epidemic in the US for more than a decade.
You can contact Dr. Pretlow at:

Presentations

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the American Society of Animal Science 2020 Conference
What’s Causing Obesity in Companion Animals and What Can We Do About It

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the World Obesity Federation 2019 Conference:
Food/Eating Addiction and the Displacement Mechanism

Dr. Pretlow’s Multi-Center Clinical Trial Kick-off Speech 2018:
Obesity: Tackling the Root Cause

Dr. Pretlow’s 2017 Workshop on
Treatment of Obesity Using the Addiction Model

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation for
TEC and UNC 2016

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the 2015 Obesity Summit in London, UK.

Dr. Pretlow’s invited keynote at the 2014 European Childhood Obesity Group Congress in Salzburg, Austria.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2013 European Congress on Obesity in Liverpool, UK.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2011 International Conference on Childhood Obesity in Lisbon, Portugal.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2010 Uniting Against Childhood Obesity Conference in Houston, TX.

Food & Health Resources