Those New Obesity Drugs Really Work–If You Can Afford Them
Pharmaceutical companies and insurance providers are at odds over a new class of drugs that have proven quite effective at helping people living with obesity lose weight. Bloomberg’s Robert Langreth and Emma Court join this episode to share their reporting on recent advancements in weight loss treatments–and the fight over who should pay for them. And Dr. Angela Fitch, a physician and president of the Obesity Medical Association, talks about the challenges of treating obesity. Read their reporting here: Good Luck Paying for Those $10,000 Obesity Drugs Everyone’s Talking About Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
28 Huhti 202325min
“Deeper Pockets, Deeper Wells”
Despite the rain-soaked year California has had, the ongoing issues of drought and limited water remain. Bloomberg reporters Peter Waldman, Mark Chediak, and Sinduja Rangarajan join this episode to talk about how farms that grow lucrative cash crops like almonds and pistachios are digging deeper and deeper wells to tap the state’s dwindling groundwater supply–leaving people in some communities with less to drink. Read the investigation here: Groundwater Gold Rush Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
27 Huhti 202321min
“Swatting” Threats Disrupt Schools Across The US
Teachers and students in the US are always on alert for the possibility of an active shooter entering their classrooms. Now hundreds of schools around the country are dealing with a new, anxiety inducing disruption: swatting. It’s when police rush to schools in response to fake threats intended to cause chaos. Bloomberg cybersecurity reporter Jeff Stone joins this episode to talk about the sharp rise of these events in recent months. And New York school district superintendent Matt Landahl shares what it’s like to receive these calls and manage the response in real time. Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
26 Huhti 202326min
Europe’s Best Healthcare Systems Are Starting To Crack
Europe’s universal healthcare systems have long been held up as models for other parts of the world. But in many countries they are now under extreme strain. Chronic underfunding, an aging population and labor force, and continuing fallout from the pandemic mean these systems are sometimes failing their patients. Bloomberg reporters Naomi Kresge and Jonas Ekblom join this episode to explain how this happened and what governments are trying to do about it. And Dr. Tomas Zapata of the World Health Organization talks about how European nations can rebuild the healthcare workforce before it deteriorates. Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
25 Huhti 202324min
How Are the Billions in Biden’s Climate Law Being Spent?
It’s been eight months since President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law. And already the hundreds of billions of dollars it contains for clean energy and slowing climate change—alongside private venture capital investments—are funding a wide array of climate technology projects, from decarbonization infrastructure to rust-based battery storage. Bloomberg climate reporter Eric Roston joins this episode with Akshat Rathi, a senior reporter and host of our sister podcast Zero. It’s a weekly show that explores the tactics and technologies taking us to a world of zero emissions. They talk with Wes about how climate tech is no longer a corner of the economy–it’s fast becoming the economy. And reporter Zahra Hirji joins to talk about some of the ways the IRA’s spending is starting to show up in our everyday lives. Read the story: https://bloom.bg/3LpNSpZ Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
24 Huhti 202328min
The Dark Side of TikTok’s Algorithm
Bloomberg senior investigative reporter Olivia Carville is back with her latest reporting on TikTok. She explains how the superpopular app’s algorithm can serve up a stream of anxiety and despair to teens, including videos about eating disorders and suicide. And Jennifer Harriger, a professor of psychology at Pepperdine University, joins to talk about the effect these messages can have on teens and young adults. Read the story: TikTok’s Algorithm Keeps Pushing Suicide to Vulnerable Kids Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.This podcast is produced by the Big Take Podcast team: Supervising Producer: Vicki Vergolina, Senior Producer: Kathryn Fink, Producers: Mo Barrow, Rebecca Chaisson, Michael Falero and Federica Romaniello, Associate Producers: Sam Gebauer and Zaynab Siddiqui. Sound Design/Engineers: Raphael Amsili and Gilda Garcia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
21 Huhti 202332min
The US-Saudi Relationship Is In Danger of Falling Apart
For decades, the United States and Saudi Arabia maintained an important strategic alliance, which gave the US access to Saudi oil in exchange for guaranteeing the kingdom’s security. But growing tensions between the two nations now threaten to rupture this relationship.Bloomberg’s Ziad Daoud, Tom Orlik, and Nick Wadhams join this episode to explain what’s behind the US-Saudi rift, and why it could have far-reaching consequences for the US economy and potentially the 2024 presidential election. Read the story: US-Saudi Oil Pact Breaking Down as Russia Grabs Upper Hand Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
20 Huhti 202323min
A Gun That Knows Who’s Pulling The Trigger
For decades, inventors have tried and failed to make a smart gun. A company called Biofire now appears to have pulled it off. It uses both fingerprint scans and facial recognition so that only a registered user can fire it.But will anyone buy it? Will this technology become yet another point of contention between pro and anti-gun groups? Firearms advocates have long been skeptical of biometric weapons but they’ve also never run across one that actually worked. Bloomberg reporter Ashlee Vance joins this episode to talk about Biofire’s new smart gun, how it works, and what it’s like to use. We also hear from Biofire’s 26-year-old CEO Kai Kloepfer, who started working on the gun after the mass shooting in his home state of Colorado, when he was 15-years-old. Read the story: https://bloom.bg/43DMVBH Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
19 Huhti 202328min
