To think the injections for weight reduction should be offered to the unemployed?

[llizzie]

The Government has just announced the intention of offering weight reducing injections to those unemployed who are obese?

AIBU to think it might backfire and cause more problems?

@llizzie I have no idea who you are and I don't recall having ever responded to you before. I am not suggesting you are simple minded. Rather that you appear not to have read or understood anything about this whole topic.

It struck me as odd, too. Another reason why it will backfire on the government.

It fills me with horror that we have a Prime Minister who latches on to the slightest suggestion, and acts upon it. He has been like a kid in a sweet shop being told he can eat what he likes and can't wait to try everything out.

He would do better concentrating on the manufacturers of life vests and inflatable boats to find out who buys them.

He hasn't acted on this. He has taken no action, he has not announced any action. No govt action will be happening in this regard.

He was talking about a private company continuing research on the medicine that they have developed.

So the BBC us wrong, and Starmer didn;t say it was a good idea to give obese people drugs to get them off the dole and I am completely wrong in thinking it will fail and backfire on the government?

One of my friends who has Arthritis would like it to be offered to people with joint issues. It’s so unfair, that as always, it’s the people who contribute least who get all the benefits from the state.

@llizzie yes! Finally. You were wrong about all of that, absolutely.

I have encountered OP on another thread. You can post all the facts you want and it will not make one iota of difference.

Here is what came out of the horse's mouth. If you disagree, I suggest you take it up with the PM and BBC

This is what the BBC has said. It is on the teletext on TV. This is what the Prime Minister says barely 103 days in office:
Proposals to give weight loss jabs to unemployed people living with obesity could be very important for our economy and health, the Prime Minister told the BBC.
Starmer said 'he acknowledged that more money was needed for the NHS, and the Government also needed to 'think differently' to ease pressure on the health system.
His comments came after Wes Streeting said the jabs could be given to help people get back into work.
Some injections are already prescribed on the NHS for the treatment of obesity and also for people with diabetes.
Now where does he say that it is only a research?

The key word is "could". Not "will". The context of the comments that you are severely missing is that they were commenting after the research trial was announced by Lilly and Health Innovation Manchester.

Starmer said:

“I think these drugs could be very important for our economy and our health. One of the biggest pharma companies has decided to invest in our country. That is consistent with our pitch that now is the time to invest in Britain.

“This drug will be very helpful for people to lose weight, and it’s very important for the NHS. It will help in all of these areas.”

But carry on with your alternative reality, I'm out.

Well, actually, the BBC didn’t say that at all.

‘Proposals to give the unemployed weight loss jabs’ (in the byline, not the body of BBC article) are precisely that, a proposed idea that the Health Minister (not the PM) has discussed in an separate article in the Telegraph (which I am going to assume Op has not actually bothered to read or digest).

And these proposals that are not even directly referenced by the PM where the BBC reports: ‘Sir Keir told the BBC the jabs would be "very helpful" to people who want and need to lose weight.
"[The drug is] very important for our NHS, because, yes we need more money for the NHS, but we've also got to think differently".

Ie., PM does not state he thinks it is a good idea to give people these drugs to ‘get them off the dole’ at all. This is an utter lie.

Someone needs to learn to read news articles more critically.

LOL our posts crossed.

Unemployed Britons could be able to receive taxpayer-funded weight loss jabs, under Government plans to get them back to work, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said. He added: "Illness caused by obesity causes people to take an extra four sick days a year on average, while many others are forced out of work altogether."

So my teletext on tv is all wrong. You can look it up. I didn't make it up. here is some more:

Unemployed Britons could be able to receive taxpayer-funded weight loss jabs, under Government plans to get them back to work, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said. He added: "Illness caused by obesity causes people to take an extra four sick days a year on average, while many others are forced out of work altogether."

‘Unemployed Britons COULD be able to…’

And ‘sick days’ applies to people who are working, obviously, not unemployed.

Are you wilfully misreading the article now?

My BBC app on the website from which I cut and paste is also not ‘wrong’… but you do not seem to understand the difference between something that ‘COULD” happen vis a vis something that WILL happen.

I’d suggest a dictionary and grammar primer. Those are available on line also.

I confess I need to read more about all this to get the facts. If the headline grabber is true and not just exaggerated journalism, then my first reaction is , this isn't good. Isn't there potentially alot more behind the unemployed than obesity? Isn't it likely something else has led to the obesity, and that has also factored in to the unemployment.
Or is the intent to reduce health costs associated with the obese and a large proportion of those obese aren't working 🤷‍♀️

No. I copy and paste the news item.

Yes but you don’t understand them - as stated above every quote states ‘COULD’ not WILL.

Wes Streeting is considering multiple ideas. He has stated them in his article in The Telegraph (that you have clearly not read). These included, amongst several others, plans to run a pilot scheme to explore whether these jabs might help the unemployed return to work or those who are in work to reduce sickness days. A pilot scheme. In one area of the country. To observe whether there is a positive impact.

The PM was asked questions about the ideas and commented in support of general principles but said NOTHING that, as reported by the BBC, directly to indicate that these medications will be rolled out to the unemployed or will become policy.

It’s not rocket science. It’s basic reading comprehension.

Obesity might well be why they are unemployed, though you have to wonder what came first, but if no one will employ them, for fear of not being able to sack them when the weight goes back on, what is the point?

But employers don't ask if you used to be obese and then refuse to hire you in case you become obese again.

The Health Minister is part of the government, you know. I watched the BBC News last morning and understood it exactly the same way the OP; nothing was said about a '5 year study'. It's not a coincidence that the government is floating these ideas (the latest is 'job coaches on mental health wards') two weeks before the budget.

Thank you for your assumption that I am not obese.

You know what they say about assumptions though.

I have ran the gamut of weight- I have previously recovered from anorexia and recovered a little too well.

So yes I do know that struggle myself.

I still do not believe that a quick fix drug that is experiencing global shortages will resolve much in the long run. Many cases of overeating are psychological in nature - I.e we need to get in early with children and dissuade a relationship where food = crutch or shame.

I mean quick fix as opposed to the healthier time frame of losing weight the recommended way.

I'll have to say that instead of diet and exercise because that is somehow judgemental.

I would agree with psychological support and other support to be offered to people.

That also feeds into the larger national conversation around mental health and the shameful lack of MH support I the country.

Ironically, by not addressing that, the government is also seeking to take a short cut to economic health.

This needs repeating over and over again. The last thread is full of misinformation and nonsense because the announcement is a load of rubbish