The injection that silences hunger - and what it could mean for society

"There was always this voice in my head that kept whispering: 'Get something to eat. Go to the fridge.' I haven't heard it for over six months now." For Jill Gatti, the injection with a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a medication that mimics the satiety hormone (known under brand names such as Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro) was an opportunity to turn her life around. She was able to lose around 25 kilos during this time – now she feels comfortable in her skin for the first time in a decades. "My children tell me that I look much happier, " she says with a broad smile.

Bad PR start

The genesis of these drugs – especially Ozempic – is still the focus of much debate today. It was originally designed and authorised as a treatment for diabetes. However, it quickly became apparent that the active ingredient acts so similarly to the human satiety hormone "glucagon-like peptide 1" (GLP-1) that it triggers a strong, long-lasting feeling of satiety. The blood sugar level drops and food is digested more slowly. The result: you eat less and the kilos melt away. This quickly turned Ozempic into a fashionable drug that further slimmed already thin waistlines in Hollywood. The "luxury use case" of the drug led to shortages and price increases for people who depended on it to survive.