This week, Barney and Ethan are once again discussing semaglutide, but this time about its reported additional benefits of reducing patient’s bad habits. Users of the weight loss drug claim to feel reduced urges to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, and even bite their nails. Could this be how humanity is cured of addictions?

We hear from Dr Tony Goldstone, Associate Professor of Brian Sciences at Imperial College London, who is excited about the new data but does think we need to wait to see more evidence; and to Dr Asher Larmy, outspoken GP and fat activist, who has long been against semaglutide and says the pharmaceutical industry is pushing drugs that don’t work to ‘people with bigger bodies’ simply to make money.

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