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Is Grandpa Pudding Brains the mystery patient getting the super-Ozempic?

by · Boing Boing

A very connected 79-year-old chonker reportedly got access to Eli Lilly's experimental obesity drug retatrutide, and the White House will not directly say whether that man is McDonald's slurping Grandpa Pudding Brains.

Raw Story summarizes STAT's report that Lilly and the FDA allowed one unidentified 79-year-old patient to receive retatrutide through compassionate use, also known as expanded access. The FDA says expanded access is generally for patients with serious or immediately life-threatening diseases or conditions who lack comparable treatment options. STAT asked the White House whether the patient was Trump, who just turned 80, and says it did not get a direct answer. Retatrutide is still investigational, though Lilly says late-stage trial data showed weight loss in the range long associated with bariatric surgery.

Ranganath Muniyappa, senior clinician at the National Institutes of Health, requested the drug to treat the unidentified patient for refractory obesity with obstructive sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension, which can be life-threatening, but three sources familiar with the matter told STAT the unusual request caught the attention of top health officials – and suggested the individual was well connected.

"White House spokesperson Kush Desai directed STAT's inquiry to the Health and Human Services Department," Lawrence reported. "In response to STAT's question about whether Trump has obstructive sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension, Desai said a White House memo detailing Trump's most recent medical evaluation 'covers this.' The memo makes no mention of obstructive sleep apnea or pulmonary hypertension."

"HHS spokesperson Emily Hilliard did not address the retatrutide application or the patient's identity when responding to STAT's questions," the reporter added.RawStory

We do not know whether Grandpa Pudding Brains is the mystery patient. We do know the White House was asked and did not simply say no.

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