When confronted with a novel insulin-regulating medication that is being subtly extolled as “magic,” the mainstream media must make an agonizing decision.
On the one side, reports reveal a concerning scarcity of Ozempic and other types of drugs for controlling insulin levels in Americans with Type 2 diabetes, which have proven to produce weight loss as an added benefit. Simultaneously, news outlets depend greatly on Big Pharma’s ad spending.
It is thought that up to three-fourths of television advertising revenue comes from pharmaceutical companies. This makes sense given the lengthy disclaimers on drug side-effects mandated by federal law, which causes these ads to take up substantial amounts of commercial time slots.
Undoubtedly, folks have come across the infectious “Oh, oh, oh Ozempic” jingle that is featured in their television commercials. This tune was adapted from the band the Pilot’s hit 70s single ‘Magic’. However, like any other new and rapidly growing product out there, producers are facing global supply chain issues as well as several general hurdles along the way.
Ozempic and Wegovy are two brand names for the drug semaglutide; similarly, liraglutied at a higher dose is sold as Saxenda to aid in weight loss, while its lower dosage version Victoza targets diabetes patients.
Ozempic is now the second-highest spender in advertising according to watchdog website StopMediaBiasNow.com, a jump from their fourth place ranking. Additionally, Fierce Pharma’s annual rankings report that they have jumped up from fifth spot in 2021 with $157 million spent on marketing and promotion – making them the fourth highest spending advertiser this year! Rybelsus another brand name for semaglutide also highlights shortages yet it isn’t currently among top ad buys.
With the ongoing shortage of Ozempic supplies, people are now turning their attention to other alternatives. Mounjaro (tirzepatide), manufactured by Eli Lilly, is also used for insulin regulation. The distinction here is that it has not yet been approved by the FDA as a weight loss medication, although it is getting a lot of attention for these purposes.
Well-known figures, the press, and social media users on TikTok are fueling the fervor with their posts.
Andy Hogue of RVIVR suggested the mainstream press do something different. “Why not stifle the miracle weight-loss headlines and require that NovoNordisk advertise for drugs other than Ozempic (until the market catches up with the demand, that is)?” He suggests that corporate responsibility is in order and that they should not be raking in millions in ad revenue while contributing to the run on the drugs.
