"Ozempic and the other GLP-1 medications are among the most important medical breakthroughs of our time. Off the Scales captures the many facets of this fast-moving story, including the decades of scientific research that led to their creation, the stories of early patients and the culture change required to understand obesity as a medical condition rather than a character flaw. Donnellan is a gifted storyteller who brings complicated subjects to life and offers a hopeful vision for how these therapies are transforming lives and reshaping our approach to health care."
—Leana Wen, M.D., Washington Post contributing columnist and author of Lifelines

“The creation of Ozempic has changed lives and challenged long-held assumptions about obesity, but it also raises a whole set of new questions. Donnellan chronicles the search for miracles, the ensuing gold rush, the lives impacted, the biases overturned and solidified, and where this paradigm shift will leave us. Off the Scales is the definitive account of a singular global force—essential reading to help us understand what has been unleashed and what may be coming next."
—Andy Slavitt, author of Preventable

"Off the Scales is the fascinating and thoroughly researched story of a medical miracle. Aimee Donnellan has tackled a complex subject—the discovery of GLP-1s—and distilled it into an engaging and deeply compassionate study of a breakthrough that is poised to change society, for better or worse (or maybe both). An essential read for our times."
—Jonathan Cohn, author of The Ten Year War and Sick

“Aimee Donnellan provides a riveting and impeccably researched deep-dive into the murky world of drug development and casts a light on the little-known characters who have dedicated their lives to rewriting the rules of science. Off the Scales also chronicles the decades-long clash of titans between the bulging fast food industry and the powerful weight loss industry—and introduces us to the almost-too-good-to-be-true drug that may well end it all. Ultimately, the book presents a scathing critique of the big corporations that have shamelessly leveraged people’s insecurities to get rich, and offers a mixed prognosis for the future: Ozempic may hold a world of promise, but there could be a far darker side that we’re only just starting to see.”
—Josie Cox, journalist and author of Women, Money, Power