Childhood Obesity Goes Global, Novo Slims Down Workforce, FDA Beefs Up Scrutiny of DTC Pharma Ads

Hey all,

Happy Monday!  From the global surge in childhood obesity to pharmaceutical companies battling for market dominance and the FDA's overdue crackdown on deceptive advertising, these examples reveal a crucial truth: health outcomes are frequently shaped more by the systems we create than by biological factors. The core questions extend beyond who achieves better health to encompass who benefits financially, who is held responsible, and whether policy can effectively keep pace with industrial advancements. To date, corporate interests have won big at the expense of patients, a trend that hopefully will change.

Enjoy the rundown!

Jacob Brody (Co-Founder & CEO, ZorroRX)

(New York Times) Global Childhood Obesity Report

For the first time, more children worldwide are obese than underweight, according to a UNICEF report showing that one in 10 children now has obesity, with the problem accelerating fastest in low- and middle-income countries. The findings highlight how ultraprocessed foods, aggressive marketing, and weak government action are fueling a global health crisis linked to long-term risks like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, while exposing gaps in public health systems and food policy. Turns out America’s biggest export is chronic disease—and it somehow ships with no tariff. Full Article.

(Endpoints News) Novo Nordisk Layoffs and Profit Warning

Novo Nordisk announced it will lay off around 9,000 employees—over 11% of its workforce—while also issuing another profit warning as part of a sweeping restructuring to refocus on its core diabetes and obesity medicines. The move comes amid mounting competition from Eli Lilly, pressure from compounding pharmacies, and the company’s recent leadership shakeup, with new CEO Mike Doustdar pledging faster, leaner operations and reinvestment of savings into R&D and growth. Analysts praised the bold restructuring but cautioned that success will depend on execution—though with Zepbound outpacing Wegovy in helping patients shed pounds, Novo seems to be the one doing the cutting. Full Article.

(JAMA) FDA Crackdown on Misleading Drug Ads

In a Viewpoint article, Dr. Martin A. Makary argues that the FDA is finally addressing decades of failure to regulate misleading pharmaceutical advertising, which has fueled drug spending and distorted patient-doctor relationships. The U.S., one of only two countries permitting direct-to-consumer drug ads, has seen companies exploit regulatory loopholes, rely on social media influencers, and minimize risk disclosures, creating a public health and economic burden. Makary highlights the FDA’s new enforcement actions—including cease-and-desist orders and rulemaking to close loopholes—as an essential step toward restoring fair balance, transparency, and trust in medical decision-making. Full Article