Internal documents obtained by the Observer reveal that Pinder Sahota, corporate vice-president of Novo Nordisk UK, told the then health secretary Steve Barclay, England’s chief medical officer and Treasury officials that “data from the Department for Work and Pensions [DWP] could help profile those who are most likely to return to the labour market”.
During the meeting, attendees discussed the potential socioeconomic benefits of making weight-loss injections available in a community-based pilot scheme alongside “wraparound support”, such as back-to-work counselling.
In March, the Times reported that “millions of people could be offered a new generation of weight-loss drugs under plans to turn the tide on obesity and get benefit claimants back to work”, after an apparent briefing by officials.
A joint announcement from the prime minister and the Department of Health in June 2023 said that potential effects of the pilot included cutting NHS waiting lists and “wider economic benefits”.
Prof Simon Capewell, a public health policy expert and emeritus professor at Liverpool University, said the comments by Novo Nordisk executives were “shocking and “absolutely unethical”.
Labour MP Debbie Abrahams, co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on universal credit and a member of the Work and Pensions Committee, said the suggestion from Novo Nordisk to target benefit claimants was “very worrying on several levels”.
The original article contains 1,287 words, the summary contains 214 words. Saved 83%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
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Internal documents obtained by the Observer reveal that Pinder Sahota, corporate vice-president of Novo Nordisk UK, told the then health secretary Steve Barclay, England’s chief medical officer and Treasury officials that “data from the Department for Work and Pensions [DWP] could help profile those who are most likely to return to the labour market”.
During the meeting, attendees discussed the potential socioeconomic benefits of making weight-loss injections available in a community-based pilot scheme alongside “wraparound support”, such as back-to-work counselling.
In March, the Times reported that “millions of people could be offered a new generation of weight-loss drugs under plans to turn the tide on obesity and get benefit claimants back to work”, after an apparent briefing by officials.
A joint announcement from the prime minister and the Department of Health in June 2023 said that potential effects of the pilot included cutting NHS waiting lists and “wider economic benefits”.
Prof Simon Capewell, a public health policy expert and emeritus professor at Liverpool University, said the comments by Novo Nordisk executives were “shocking and “absolutely unethical”.
Labour MP Debbie Abrahams, co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on universal credit and a member of the Work and Pensions Committee, said the suggestion from Novo Nordisk to target benefit claimants was “very worrying on several levels”.
The original article contains 1,287 words, the summary contains 214 words. Saved 83%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!