In early 2023, Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, chief executive of the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, and its UK corporate vice-president Pinder Sahota, met in Whitehall with the then health secretary Steve Barclay, England’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, and various health and Treasury officials. They discussed the possibilities of a pilot scheme to improve obesity care in the UK.
According to internal documents obtained by the Observer, Novo Nordisk wanted “data from the Department for Work and Pensions” to “help profile those who are most likely to return to the labour market”. These individuals could then be targeted with Wegovy, the brand name for the company’s weight-loss drug semaglutide.
