We go out of our way to moderate threads less when a YC startup is involved (https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&qu...), but your behavior in this thread has been so egregious that I don't have a choice. "Less" doesn't mean "zero".
> your behavior in this thread has been so egregious that I don't have a choice
From the FDA notice on the approval of this drug:
"The most common side effects of Wegovy include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal (stomach) pain, headache, fatigue, dyspepsia (indigestion), dizziness, abdominal distension, eructation (belching), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in patients with type 2 diabetes, flatulence (gas buildup), gastroenteritis (an intestinal infection) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (a type of digestive disorder).
The prescribing information for Wegovy contains a boxed warning to inform healthcare professionals and patients about the potential risk of THYROID C-CELL TUMORS. Wegovy should not be used in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or in patients with a rare condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
Wegovy should not be used in patients with a history of severe allergic reactions to semaglutide or any of the other components of Wegovy. Patients should stop Wegovy immediately and seek medical help if a severe allergic reaction is suspected. Wegovy also contains warnings for inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), gallbladder problems (including gallstones), low blood sugar, acute kidney injury, diabetic retinopathy (damage to the eye's retina), increased heart rate and suicidal behavior or thinking. Patients should discuss with their healthcare professional if they have symptoms of pancreatitis or gallstones. If Wegovy is used with insulin or a substance that causes insulin secretion, patients should speak to their health care provider about potentially lowering the dose of insulin or the insulin-inducing drug to reduce the risk of low blood sugar. Healthcare providers should monitor patients with kidney disease, diabetic retinopathy and depression or suicidal behaviors or thoughts."
It is interesting what we choose to label as egregious. My first reaction was very raw: I could not believe YC though it OK to effectively become drug pushers. You are funding a startup that will expose people to all of the above, and then some.
Here's the key message: See that list? Well, that list goes away. Completely. If we push for better food rather than popping pills. Gone.
You are entitled to moderate HN as you wish, of course. This does not alter the obscenity that is the idea of looking for a billion dollar exit by preying on desperate people by pushing drugs. At the end of the day, that's what all weight loss programs do.
From a Harvard article on weight loss drugs:
"You may remember some disturbing reports about previous weight-loss medications. Dexfenfluramine and fenfluramine were taken off the market after they were linked to heart valve damage. Sibutramine (Meridia) was removed after it was linked to heart attack and stroke in people at highest risk for them.
The options on the market today come with their own cautions. The ingredient phentermine—a component of Adipex-P, Ionamin, and Qsymia—isn't usually recommended for people who have high blood pressure or other heart conditions. Topiramate, another component of Qsymia, has been linked to an increased risk of birth defects, so women who take it should take special precautions not to get pregnant."
A lot of people don't remember what some of these approved drugs did to people, perhaps because they are too young...they don't even know the history.
We go out of our way to moderate threads less when a YC startup is involved (https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&qu...), but your behavior in this thread has been so egregious that I don't have a choice. "Less" doesn't mean "zero".