Like, seriously, have you heard about Bernie Sanders grilling the CEO of Novo Nordisk over the insane prices of weight-loss drugs? It all went down recently, and it was, like, major news!
So, Bernie, who is the Senator from Vermont, called out Lars Jørgensen, the CEO of Novo Nordisk, during a solo panel in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. This happened because weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are costing, like, up to 15 times more in the US than in other countries! Can you even imagine?
Bernie was all like, “Why are Americans paying so much more for these drugs?”. He was super serious and had this whole vibe of not taking any nonsense. He was questioning why these drugs are so expensive here when they’re way cheaper elsewhere. Like, we’re talking prices that are 15 times higher! That’s totally not cool.
Novo Nordisk, which is, like, one of the big names in pharmaceuticals, has been under fire because, hello, people need these drugs for weight loss and possibly other medical issues like diabetes, and they just can’t afford them. Ozempic and Wegovy are supposed to help with weight management, but if they’re so pricey, it’s not fair for the people who really need them, right?
This panel happened because there’s this huge concern about how drug prices are totally out of control in the US. Bernie Sanders has been, like, all over this issue for a while now. He’s pushing for answers and solutions to make these meds affordable for everyone.
Next up, a Senate committee hearing in September! Bernie says the first question he is going to ask Novo Nordisk’s CEO is why the drugmaker charges up to 10 or 15 times more for Ozempic and Wegovy in the U.S., compared to other countries. And he’ll expect answers!
“This is absurd,” Sanders said on Tuesday. “It is clear that Novo Nordisk is ripping off the American people.”
This is, like, a major moment for all those fighting against high drug prices. Hopefully, with Bernie on the case, things will start to change and, fingers crossed, we’ll see those prices drop soon.
So, stay tuned, because this drama is far from over! And remember, everyone deserves affordable healthcare, no matter what!
