Magic Pill

The bestselling author of "Lost Connections" and "Stolen Focus" takes a revelatory look at the new drugs transforming weight loss as we know it, sharing his personal experience with Ozempic and examining our ability to heal society's dysfunctional relationship with food, weight, and our bodies.

In January 2023, Johann Hari began injecting himself once a week with Ozempic, one of the new drugs that produces significant weight loss. He wasn't alone; some predictions suggest that in a few years, one in four of the British population will be taking these drugs. While around 80 percent of diets fail, someone taking one of the new drugs is likely to lose up to a quarter of their body weight in six months. To the drugs' defenders, this represents a moment of liberation from a condition that significantly increases the chances of diabetes, cancer, and an early death.

Still, Hari was conflicted. Can these drugs really be as good as they sound? Are they a magic solution or a magical illusion? Finding the answer to this high-stakes question led him on a journey from Iceland to Minneapolis to Tokyo, interviewing leading experts in the world on these issues. He discovered that along with the drugs' massive benefits come twelve significant potential risks. He also learned that these drugs radically challenge what we think we know about shame, willpower, and healing.

These drugs are about to change our world, for better and for worse. Everyone needs to understand how they work—scientifically, emotionally, and culturally. "Magic Pill" is an essential guide to the revolution that has already begun, which one leading expert argues could be as transformative as the invention of the smartphone.