There's A Pill For That

The FDA approved a new weight-loss pill this week, going by the unpronounceable name of Qsymia. This is on the heels of the weight-loss pill they approved in June, called Belviq. (Apparently diet drugs must include the letter “q” in their names in order to be effective.) The article I read noted that one of the side effects of Qsymia is a higher risk for heart damage. So, we are fighting a condition – obesity – that can cause heart damage, through use of a drug – Qsymia – that can cause heart damage? Is anyone else confused?

I think drug manufacturers like us to be confused. We are more willing sheep if we don’t completely understand what is being done to us. And all the more profit if the average patient throws up their hands and decides to trust that “they” (whoever “they” are) wouldn’t let the drug be used if it wasn’t safe. Right?

Have you noticed how similar drug marketing is to food marketing? Both seduce you into believing that you must have this drug/food, not only that but you deserve this drug/food. It is a constant siren song to eat, eat, eat, and when you get sick and tired from eating, eating, eating, then take this new wonder pill and all your problems will go away. What’s really diabolical is that all of this enticement is a nice, neat backdrop to the hand-wringing about the obesity “epidemic,” including lamentations over those darn fat people who just need to get off their butts and zip their lips.

I detect a smelly con game being played here. It goes something like this:

You, the hapless hungry person, see the advertisement for Dominos’ newest, cheesiest, most pepperoni-and-sausage-laden pizza ever. There are close-ups of mozzarella oozing from the crust and you are done for. You must… have… some… now. And so you do, along with a side of wings and a liter of Coke, immediately followed by the next phase of the con game, called self-flagellation. How could you have eaten that greasy pizza? How could you have eaten so many pieces? How could you have eaten the whole pie? You’re a slug. A sloth. Your relationship with food is a hot mess. But wait! You can go on a diet. Yes! But which diet? You remember the last five diets you went on and the one thing they all had in common: you were hungry all the time while on them. Hey, isn’t there a drug for that? Qsy-something? You’ll call the doctor tomorrow and ask for a three-month prescription.

It’s a beautiful cycle. The food manufacturers make loads of cash because we willingly buy their unhealthy but alluring products. The drug manufacturers make loads of cash because we need their products to counteract the bad aftereffects of our food choices. And we do not blame either of them for suckering us into this gastronomic hell. No, we blame ourselves!

Now, I’m all for personal responsibility, but at a certain point the environment has to be taken into account. We live in a culture of nonstop food porn and the promise of an easy fix after the binge – until we do something about that, there will be no solution to the obesity “epidemic.”

In the meantime, I suggest you take care of yourself the best you can. If you happen to fall into the clutches of an extra-cheesy pizza pusher, don’t beat yourself up. Just acknowledge, learn and move on. It's the real pill for what ails you.