Risk, reward and weight loss drugs

+ reclaiming the summer solstice US Edition - Today's top story: Lawsuit could challenge trust in Ozempic and other popular weight loss drugs [View in browser]( US Edition | 20 June 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Finding religion in oil and hockey]( - [How to not get struck by lightning this summer]( - [Sheepherders from the past left their mark on trees]( Lead story Injectable weight loss drugs are relatively new, but they’re already extraordinarily popular: More than 15 million Americans have used them, according to the polling group Gallup. At the same time, an industry that barely existed just a few years ago has grown into a multibillion-dollar cash cow. But a [court case in Pennsylvania could shake up the industry]( – regardless of who wins. Several dozen legal actions against the makers of weight loss drugs have been rolled up into one big court case. The lawsuits allege patients weren’t properly warned about the medications’ risks. The manufacturers reject those claims. Setting aside the eventual outcome, the very fact that there is a legal battle could affect the market for those drugs, health law professor Ana Santos Rutschman notes. It could also have unintended consequences for faith in the Food and Drug Administration. [ [Your support makes these articles possible.]( ] Tracy Walsh Economy + Business Editor David J. Phillip/AP Photo [Lawsuit could challenge trust in Ozempic and other popular weight loss drugs]( Ana Santos Rutschman, Villanova School of Law The future of the blockbuster drugs could hinge on a trial in Pennsylvania. Health + Medicine - [Boost your immune system with this centuries-old health hack: Vaccines]( Aimee Pugh Bernard, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; David Higgins, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Even if you’re healthy and fit, you still need vaccines to protect yourself from severe disease. - [Making art is a uniquely human act, and one that provides a wellspring of health benefits]( Girija Kaimal, Drexel University From drawing to gardening and woodworking, self-expression can lower stress, improve mood and increase self-confidence. Science + Technology - [Arborglyphs – Basque immigrant sheepherders left their marks on aspen trees in the American West]( John Bieter, Boise State University; Cheryl Oestreicher, Boise State University; Iñaki Arrieta Baro, University of Nevada, Reno Herders carved names, slogans, nude silhouettes and more into the trees around them during lonely seasons in the mountains. Now, researchers rush to find and record the arborglyphs before they disappear. Politics + Society - [Jewish critics of Zionism have clashed with American Jewish leaders for decades]( Marjorie N. Feld, Babson College American foreign aid to Israel has long relied on the support of American Jews. But American Jews have never been unified in their support for Israel or about Israel’s role in American Jewish life. Environment + Energy - [Ferns and flowers bribe helpful ant defenders with nectar, but ferns developed this ability much later – our study shows why]( Jacob S. Suissa, University of Tennessee Ferns have evolved a mutually beneficial relationship with ants, but this happened late in their evolution. A recent study shows that old dogs can learn new tricks. - [Extreme heat can be dangerous for runners, cyclists and anyone spending time outdoors: 6 tips for staying safe]( Susan Yeargin, University of South Carolina The heat comes from everywhere when you’re active outside on hot days – the Sun’s rays, the air around you, the ground and even your own body. - [How to stay safe during lightning storms – summer is the highest-risk season]( Chris Vagasky, University of Wisconsin-Madison National Lightning Safety Awareness Week is June 23-29, 2024. With the U.S. averaging 37 million lightning strikes and 21 deaths a year, it’s a good idea to pay attention. Ethics + Religion - [‘Loyal to the Oil’: Finding religion in the Stanley Cup finals]( Cody Musselman, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis; Judith Ellen Brunton, Harvard University The Edmonton Oilers are more than a hockey team. In some ways, they symbolize devotion to a way of life − and one of Canada’s major industries. - [How Indigenous peoples are reclaiming their celebrations of the summer solstice − and using them to resist]( Jason E. Ybarra, West Virginia University A historian of astronomy writes about the role of astronomical events in Indigenous cultures − and also the exploitation of their sacred traditions in present times. Trending on site - [What Frederick Douglass learned from an Irish antislavery activist: ‘Agitate, agitate, agitate’]( - [How Biden’s executive order to protect immigrant spouses of citizens from deportation will benefit their families and communities]( - [Keeping astronauts healthy in space isn’t easy − new training programs will prepare students to perform medicine while thousands of miles away from Earth]( Today's graphic 📈 [Older Americans lost more than $3 billion to scammers in 2023.]( From the story, [Elder fraud has reached epidemic proportions – a geriatrician explains what older Americans need to know]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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