#Politiken

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Releasing the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee's findings on the prices of weight loss drugs in the United States, Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday ramped up pressure on a Danish pharmaceutical company to lower the "outrageously high" prices of Ozempic and Wegovy, warning that the current pricing could bankrupt the country's healthcare system.

As chairman of the Senate HELP Committee, Sanders (I-Vt.) is leading an investigation into Novo Nordisk's weight loss drug pricing, and the report published Wednesday is the result of modeling his staff completed to show how the medications' exorbitant prices could impact prescription drug pricing across the United States.

The committee found that if half of all U.S. adults with obesity took Wegovy and other diabetes drugs that have recently been approved for weight loss, it could cost $411 billion per year. In 2022, Americans spent $406 billion on all retail prescription drugs.

Medicare and Medicaid would spend an estimated $166 billion per year on the medications if half of the programs' patients used them, rivaling the $175 billion the programs spent on prescription drugs in 2022.

"Today's report makes it crystal clear: The outrageously high price of Wegovy and other weight loss drugs have the potential to bankrupt Medicare and our entire health care system," said Sanders.

The projected costs are a far cry from what patients in Denmark and other European countries would pay for the same drugs.

Americans currently pay $969 per month for Ozempic and $1,349 per month for Wegovy. While the two drugs have the same active ingredient, the former is typically used to treat Type 2 diabetes and the latter is for weight loss and management.

Ozempic costs just $155 in Canada, $71 in France and $59 in Germany. Danish patients pay just $186 per month for Wegovy, while the medication costs $137 in Germany and $92 in the U.K.

Sanders' report says that Novo Nordisk's prices are "especially egregious" considering the fact that the company could make a profit off manufacturing them for less than $5 per month.

"The unjustifiably high prices of these weight loss drugs could also cause a massive spike in prescription drug spending that could lead to an historic increase in premiums for Medicare and everyone who has health insurance," said the senator. "There is no rational reason, other than greed, for Novo Nordisk to charge Americans struggling with obesity $1,349 for Wegovy when this same exact product can be purchased for just $186 in Denmark."

The report cites the North Carolina state health plan's decision last month to end coverage for Wegovy and similar medications.

The plan administrators "estimated that continuing coverage for Wegovy at its current price would require them to double insurance premiums. Faced with impossible choices, the health plan eliminated coverage," reads the report.

The reason nearly 20,000 teachers and other state employees in North Carolina lost access to the drugs, the report emphasizes, "was not because there were not enough drugs to meet demand, but because Novo Nordisk refused to lower prices to make those drugs widely available."

Thirty-five state Medicaid programs do not cover the medications at all, the HELP Committee noted, due to the price.

"As important as these drugs are, they will not do any good for the millions of patients who cannot afford them," reads the report. "Further, if the prices for these products are not substantially reduced, they have the potential to bankrupt Medicare, Medicaid, and our entire healthcare system."

The committee found that if Novo Nordisk made the U.S. price of Wegovy equal to what Danish patients pay, the healthcare system could pay for new weight loss drugs for 100% of adults with obesity annually for less than what it costs to cover just 25% of those patients at the current drug prices.

The healthcare system would save up to $317 billion per year, according to the committee's modeling.

The report was released days after Sanders appealed to the Danish government in the pages of one of the country's largest newspapers, Politiken, calling on officials to force Novo Nordisk to lower U.S. prices.

"As many Danes may know, I have long admired the welfare system that has been built up in Denmark," wrote Sanders. "When I was a candidate for the presidency, I often pointed out that the United States could learn a lot from Denmark in terms of access to healthcare and education, as well as respect for the environment and workers' rights. There is a reason why Denmark is considered one of the happiest places on Earth in international surveys. The Danish people should be proud of what you have managed to achieve."

"So now I want to appeal to the people of Denmark and the charitable foundation that owns this hugely profitable company," he continued. "Help the American people do something about the epidemic of obesity and diabetes we are facing."

Pelle Dragsted, a member of Danish Parliament for the Red-Green Alliance and a democratic socialist, applauded Sanders' op-ed.

"Healthcare is a human right," said Dragsted on Monday. "Having an illness should never be the ruin of anyone. Our message to Novo Nordisk is clear: Choose basic decency and social responsibility over profit—lower your prices in the U.S."

[i12bent]

Eva Drachmann (Nov. 4, 1874 - 1954) was a Danish artist and author. She studied at the Academy's Kunstskole for Kvinder under Viggo Johansen. Her best-known work is poster art for the newspaper Politiken.

Later in life she wrote about her interesting upbringing in a Bohemian household - her father was Holger Drachmann, also a painter and writer, and her mother Vilhelmine Erichsen, muse to several Danish artists.

Above: Jubilæumsplakat for Politiken, 1898 - printed poster

[sheltiechicago]

“The Price of Peace in Afghanistan”

© Mads Nissen, Politiken/Panos Pictures.

World Press Photo Story of the Year.

2023 World Press Photo Awards

[camillastaerk]

Oscar Weekend Throwback @ko 🖤 Thank you always to the coolest Academy Award Nominée Karen O - for the honor of designing your red carpet gown, @staerk_official with @brandystjohn ♥️ Thank you @vogue @rollingstone @politiken and many more for celebrating it and the stunning talented @ko - An unforgettable proud moment 🖤 #theoscars #kareno #yeahyeahyeahs #spikejonze #her #stærk #camillastærk #brandystjohn #vogue #rollingstone #rollingstonemagazine #politiken #academyawards #academyawards2014 #theoscars2014 (at The Oscars) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpnv6A1P_3l/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[dkavisen]

500.000 danskere kan miste adgang til netbank

500.000 danskere kan miste adgang til netbank

Op mod 500.000 danskere har endnu ikke fået MitID, og får de ikke rettet op på det inden på tirsdag, mister de adgang til deres netbank. Det er Politiken der skriver, at tallet er mellem 300.000 – 500.000, der endnu ikke har fået oprettet sig med MitID, der skal erstatte det velkendte NemID. Igennem længere tid har det været muligt at logge ind på offentlige tjenester med både NemID og MitID,…

[swemagast]

@socialdemokraternas #regeringen #politiken #väljarna HT @satirkompaniet (på/i Kulturdepartementet) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChnX8yujNuL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[yearningforunity]

Didiller Angulo, nine, on the basketball court in Potrero Grande. People have only moved to Potrero Grande for about 10 years but the neighborhood is considered one of the most troubled in the country. Extreme poverty, unemployment and lack of opportunities have propelled the area into a downward spiral of widespread drug abuse, deadly violence and deeply rooted social problems. 2018

Photograph: Mads Nissen/Politiken

[ladylucie]

Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid

Queen Margrethe's early life in newspapers

Text in Danish and the English translation taken from this article by the danish royal library website x

The poem is from Sorø Amts Dagblad, 17 April 1940 signed CH.

The next text is from Jydske Tidende, Aabenraa, 1 April 1955.

Then one from Horsens Folkeblad, 17. juni 1959.

Then Sønderjyden, 10 June 1967.

The last is from Randers Dagblad, 15. januar 1972.

Photos: Atelier Kehlet Korporation// Relmert Timotheus Rahe Kehlet// Anne Marie Lindequist// Unknown// Politikens Pressefoto// Unknown// Rigmor Mydtskov// Rigmor Mydtskov

[royal-things]

A garden for life that creates joy and good memories. In her new book 'En have for livet', Princess Alexandra talks about her work with the gardens at Egeskov and her lifelong love of plants and flowers, inherited in the family from her grandmother, Queen Ingrid 🌿 She also shares her experience and knowledge of garden design and color composition, so everyone can be inspired to create a garden full of color and atmosphere - even if your garden is not quite as big as the one at Egeskov Castle 🌷 'En have for livet' by HRH Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg will be published on May 8 by Politikens Forlag. The garden book can be purchased at Egeskov.

Egeskov | 2 May 2024

[maskrosfe]

Whats that stone book titled n whos it by?:>

It's called "Sten i Farver" by Karen Callisen & Helge Gry, published in 1960 by Politiken, which is one of the leading newspaper organizations in Denmark. It seems to have been part of a series of smaller books. I know there to be one about things you can find at the beach: seaweed, crabs, shells etc. I hope I can find that one someday, or any other. They all look really pretty to me !

[friendlymathematician]

socialdemokraterna fortsätter sin kampanj för att stöta bort unga kvinnor i förhoppiningen att rekrytera tillbaka lite sd-killar:

(p.s.: de kommer inte tillbaka hur mycket ni än försöker låta som mansrättsaktivister. de har alldeles för kul med att hata kvinnor.)

[illusidation]

If I could live my life again, I would chase any thoughts of Art out of my head and be apprenticed to a merchant or pursue some other useful trade the results of which could be visible in the end ... What use is it to me that the whole world acknowledges me, but hurries away and leaves me alone with my wares until everything breaks down and I discover to my disgrace that I have lived as a foolish dreamer and believed that the more I worked and exerted myself in my art, the better position I would achieve. No, it is no enviable fate to be an artist.

Carl Nielsen - Politiken, 09/11/1925

[gynarchie77]

Weibliche Vorherrschaft

Ein neues Kapitel für die Menschheit

Im Laufe der Jahrhunderte haben geschlechtsspezifische Rollen bedeutende Veränderungen durchlaufen. Weibliche Vorherrschaft, als eine Evolution der Machtverhältnisse wahrgenommen, impliziert nicht notwendigerweise die Dominanz oder Unterwerfung von Männern. Stattdessen stellt sie das Aufkommen von Frauen als einflussreiche Führungspersönlichkeiten in verschiedenen Bereichen des öffentlichen und privaten Lebens dar. Es ist die Geschichte einer Welt, die endlich das enorme Potenzial von mehr als der Hälfte ihrer Bevölkerung erkennt.

Der Aufstieg der Frauen zu Positionen der Macht ist immer deutlicher zu sehen. In der Politik führen Frauen einige der größten Länder der Welt und prägen nationale und internationale Politiken. Im Geschäftsleben sehen wir Frauen, die multinationale Konzerne leiten, Innovationen vorantreiben und globale Wirtschaftstrends beeinflussen. Im akademischen Bereich bekleiden immer mehr Frauen hochrangige Positionen und prägen Bildung und Forschung auf globaler Ebene.

Diese neue Realität birgt das Potenzial für wesentliche Veränderungen in der Funktionsweise unserer Welt. Historisch gesehen haben patriarchalische Gesellschaften oft Konflikte, Wettbewerb und Ausbeutung der Umwelt begünstigt. Mit dem zunehmenden Einfluss der Frauen und ihrer Entscheidungsfindung sehen wir einen Trend zur Förderung von Zusammenarbeit, Gerechtigkeit und Nachhaltigkeit.

Weibliche Vorherrschaft ist kein Bedrohung für die Geschlechtergleichheit, sondern ein bedeutender Schritt in Richtung ihrer Verwirklichung. Sie zielt nicht darauf ab, Geschlechterrollen umzukehren, sondern Machtverhältnisse auszugleichen, so dass Frauen ebenso viel Einfluss und Chancen haben wie Männer.

Es ist jedoch wichtig zu betonen, dass weibliche Vorherrschaft nicht das Allheilmittel für alle Probleme unserer Welt ist. Wie jede Form von Macht kann sie missbraucht werden, und es ist notwendig, sicherzustellen, dass alle Menschen, unabhängig von ihrem Geschlecht, für ihr Handeln zur Rechenschaft gezogen werden. Wahre Geschlechtergleichheit erfordert eine faire Verteilung von Macht, Verantwortung und Möglichkeiten, unabhängig vom Geschlecht.

Weibliche Vorherrschaft ist ein neues Kapitel in der Geschichte der Menschheit, eine Ära, in der wir die Beiträge der Frauen auf allen gesellschaftlichen Ebenen anerkennen und wertschätzen. Diese Ära bietet Hoffnung auf eine ausgewogenere und gerechtere Zukunft, in der Männer und Frauen gemeinsam globale Herausforderungen bewältigen können.

Letztendlich geht es bei weiblicher Vorherrschaft nicht um Dominanz, sondern um Harmonie - eine Harmonie, in der jedes Geschlecht für seine einzigartigen Beiträge zur Gesellschaft geschätzt wird. Es ist eine Welt, in der wir alle gedeihen können. Dieses neue Kapitel der Menschheit ist sowohl eine Herausforderung als auch eine Gelegenheit für alle Geschlechter, gegenseitigen Respekt, Verständnis und Unterstützung zu zeigen. Gemeinsam können wir eine bessere, gerechtere und ausgewogenere Welt aufbauen.

[gubbanarkist]

Så allt har gått åt helvete, och de högervindar som blåst över landet har vunnit. Den borgerliga segern har i mångt och mycket burits upp av unga män, mellan 16 och 29, som utgör moderaternas allra starkaste väljargrupp.

Jag vet att jag predikar för kören här, att mina typ fem följare redan vet det här, men det enda sättet att bryta det högerstyre som nu greppar Sverige, nord till syd, är att bygga en rörelse som är varaktig och kraftig nog att ändra vad som är de automatiska antaganden inom politiken, vad folk utgår ifrån, som kan pusha för vår politik. Uppmanar alla som läser detta att gå med i vilken autonom grupp som nu finns på din ort - det kommer antagligen att vara SAC, SUF för ni som är i tonåren/tidiga tjugo, eller Allt åt Alla om ni bor i eller nära någon av storstäderna, och Husby Arbetarcentrum om ni jobbar i Stockholms invandrartäta kvarter. I övrigt finns det små anarkistiska grupper eller nätverk aktiva i flera småstäder, och bredare antirasitiska organisationer, ex. Tillsammanskapet, på många mindre orter, som kan vara ett sätt att hitta likasinnade. Det finns säkert fler än de också.

Det är blodigt allvar nu.

[bluesrocknrollingstones]

Photos from Picture Alliance DPA , photos by Politikens Presse Foto , DALLE APRF

[yearningforunity]

The slum area Puente Nayero is home to more than 1,200 families, of which an estimated 95% have been forcibly displaced from their homes due to the conflict. With nearly 6 million displaced people, Colombia is one of the countries with most displacements in the world. The slum areas are dominated by paramilitary gangs who extort and oppress the local population. The citizens of Puento Nayero recently found the courage to kick the paramilitaries out and declare their neighbourhood a humanitarian zone. With the support from NGOs and a government program they are now striving to keep it safe. - 2018

Photograph: Mads Nissen/Politiken