Soundside

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Understanding Ozempic — how GLP-1 has changed weight loss Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

After just a few years on the market, a new wave of GLP-1 drugs approved for weight loss have upended what we know about obesity.
By now, these are household names: Mounjaro. Wegovy. Zepbound… and yes, Ozempic.
A Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that one in 8 American adults reported trying a GLP-1 medication. “Body by Ozempic” has become a punchline on red carpets.

Doctors and regulators have a strong body of evidence that GLP-1 drugs are remarkably effective at promoting weight loss and controlling diabetes.
But new research looking at millions of patients in the VA medical system has suggested they may have surprising effects on a range of other medical conditions – from cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s to substance use disorder. The new data also found possible side effects that were not previously known.

Soundside spoke with Dr. David Cummings, professor of medicine in the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition at the University of Washington, about recent data dives into the widespread use of GLP-1 medications, and what those studies tell us about how we can rethink obesity.

Guests:

Dr. David Cummings, professor of medicine in the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition at the University of Washington.

Related Links:

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does RFK Jr.'s nomination mean for the HPV vaccine? Feb 05, 2025

Show notes

On Tuesday the Senate Finance Committee voted to move forward with Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

His nomination now heads to the Senate floor, where he’s expected to be confirmed.

As the secretary of the HHS, Kennedy would have oversight over 11 agencies including the FDA, the CDC and the National Institutes of Health.

Kennedy has come under fire from both Democrats and Republicans for some of his controversial beliefs – the most contentious being his extensive history of anti-vaccine work and rhetoric.

Kennedy has in particular focused on Gardasil, the HPV vaccine. A lawyer by trade, he has helped facilitate hundreds of potential lawsuits aimed at pharmaceutical company Merck, which manufactures the drug.

The vaccine is nearly 100% effective against cancers caused by the human papillomavirus – most notably cervical cancer.

Kennedy has criticized the vaccine, calling it ‘dangerous and defective’ and claiming it can ‘increase the risk of cervical cancer.’

Guest:

Dr. Linda Eckert, a professor in the University of Washington School of Medicine, Women's Health Division of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. A leading expert in cervical cancer prevention, she's written a new book titled ENOUGH: Because We Can Stop Cervical Cancer.

Relevant Links:

NYT: Committee Sends R.F.K. Jr.’s Health Secretary Nomination to Full Senate

Associated Press: RFK Jr. kept asking to see the science that vaccines were safe. After he saw it, he dismissed it

BBC: Fact-checking RFK Jr's views on health policy

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Landmine removal group pauses work after foreign aid freeze Feb 05, 2025

Show notes

The United States is drastically retooling its foreign aid to meet a new presidential administration's “America First” goals.

The State Department will reportedly absorb the foreign aid agency USAID, which is also a target of Elon Musk’s government efficiency agency, DOGE. Democrats say this move by the Trump Administration is illegal and unconstitutional and congress would need to act to make major changes to the agency.

This is only the latest in a series of steps to claw back money Congress has approved to fund agencies helping people outside America’s borders.

Money for a diverse set of causes like HIV prevention, anti-narcotics training, and famine relief immediately stopped flowing after a stop work order was issued by the State Department.

Some of that work has since resumed after a temporary waiver was granted for life saving medical treatment, shelter and food assistance – but the abrupt shutdown had already disrupted many aid organizations ability to pay staff and continue operations.

And the stop work order is still in effect for most organizations, including here in the Pacific Northwest.

Guest:

Crystal Oswald-Herold, program director at PeaceTrees Vietnam

Relevant Links:

NYT: U.S. Halt to Foreign Aid Cripples Programs Worldwide

WaPo: Trump moves to wrest control of USAID as Musk says, ‘We’re shutting it down’

Slate: Why It’s A Huge Deal That Trump Is Trying to Shut Down USAID

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The trade war is off—for now. What would tariffs mean for Washington? Feb 04, 2025

Show notes

The threat of a trade war against the United States' nearest neighbors is off for now.

Last week President Donald Trump said he was placing a 25% tariff on goods from North American trading partners Mexico and Canada.

In an executive order, Trump said he was using the United States’ economic leverage to push the countries into better border enforcement. He also said he was seeking to balance out a trade deficit. The announcement led to widespread anxiety and confusion across US borders.

However, yesterday we learned that tariffs on Mexico have been paused for a month after negotiations with Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum, who activated 10,000 national guard members to the US border on Monday.

In a last minute deal, Canada also announced their U.S. tariffs were pausing for 30 days after outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he was appointing a “fentanyl czar” to tackle drug trafficking.

The saga has rankled the historic friendship between the two countries—one with which Washington has deep ties.

Guests:

Laurie Trautman, director of the Border Policy Research Institute with Western Washington University based in Bellingham
Joshua McNichols is a reporter here at KUOW and the co-host of “Booming,” a podcast about the local economy

Related Links:

Booming - An economy podcast from a city that (almost) never stops growing

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starbucks implements open door changes as foot traffic continues to slow Feb 03, 2025

Show notes

When Brian Niccol took the helm as CEO of Starbucks last fall, his mandate was to reverse a decline in customer traffic.

He’s been rolling out changes in recent weeks. Niccol announced last month that the coffee chain would be reversing its open-door policy as part of something called the “Coffee House Code of Conduct.”

That means no more sitting on the coffee house WiFi or squatting at a table without purchasing something. And yes, this will include use of the company’s restrooms (just about the only ones you reliably find on nearly every corner.)

Niccol took the reins of the company last fall amid lagging foot traffic, and the code of conduct is just one of the changes aiming to right the company’s wobbling ship.

To discuss the changes and their impact on Starbucks' business, Soundside was joined by Julie Creswell, business reporter for the New York Times, where she covers the food industry.

Guests:

Julie Creswell, business reporter for the New York Times, where she covers the food industry.

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