Weight Loss Treatments: Should We Have Expected GLP-1 Agonists to Cause Gallstones ?
The short answer to this question is …Yes. To explain this more fully, we first need a little background… GLP-1 agonists are one of the most successful weight-loss inducing agents produced by big Pharma of recent times. Originally designed and developed as anti-diabetic agents, their ability to suppress appetite soon became the main focus of drug developers, resulting in regulatory approval of the first in class Semaglutide (marketed by Novo Nordisk as Wegovy) and then Tirzepatide (Mounjaro; Ely-Lilly). {Note the parallel here with Viagra, which was originally developed as a heart drug, but quickly morphed into the world's most frequently used treatment of erectile dysfunction.} The prevalence of obesity in most developed western nations has ensured that both of these new medications are in high demand, far exceeding that originally anticipated for their anti-diabetic indication. This has resulted in a ‘dash for the cash’ by manufacturers, and the resulting shortages have...