Denmark’s trump card in opposition to US’s Greenland risk: Weight-loss drug

If US President Donald Trump is certainly severe about his risk to accumulate Greenland, the autonomous Danish territory, it might properly have an effect on the weight-loss journey of tens of millions of overweight People. Puzzled? The equation is straightforward. Denmark, regardless of having a inhabitants smaller than New York, has a number of trump playing cards up its sleeve, with the foremost being curbing or halting the exports of the favored weight-loss drug Ozempic and children’ favorite Lego toys.

Ever since Trump gained the US presidential election, the Republican has on a number of events floated the concept of shopping for Greenland. He has solely escalated the pitch after taking up as US President final month, threatening punitive tariffs and even hinting at army motion to take management of the strategically vital island.

Nevertheless, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, in a fiery telephone name with Trump, made it clear that Greenland was “not on the market”, the BBC reported.

DENMARK TARIFF THREAT MAY HURT WAISTLINES OF AMERICANS

The difficulty has threatened the potential of an all-out commerce battle between the US and its NATO ally. Nevertheless, it might turn into a ache within the waistlines of tens of millions of People.

Prior to now two years, the medication Ozempic and Wegovy, made by Danish pharma large Novo Nordisk, have revolutionised weight problems and diabetes therapy in the US – which has one of many highest weight problems charges on the planet. In actual fact, CDC information reveals that in 23 American states, multiple in three adults (35%) has weight problems.

A research within the Journal of the American Medical Affiliation has revealed that between 2021 and 2023, the variety of Ozempic prescriptions within the US has jumped by 400 per cent.

Within the backdrop of this, if Trump does go on with steep tariffs on Denmark, it might jack up the costs of Ozempic and Wegovy. Presently, People should shell out almost $1,000 for every packet of Ozempic (with out reductions or insurance coverage). For Wegovy, it’s $1,300 per package deal. The value of the medication is already increased within the US than in different international locations.

Moreover, information by Buying and selling Economics reveals that the US imported medicines, vaccines and antibiotics value $5.7 billion from “pharma state” Denmark in 2023. Even when the US needs to make such medication from scratch, it would not have the sources because the energetic ingredient for Ozempic and Wegovy, referred to as semaglutide, is made in Denmark.

The broadly fashionable Lego Group, the world’s largest toymaker, can also be primarily based in Denmark. Apart from, Denmark can also be the main provider of listening to aids to America.

Thus, even when Trump decides to go on together with his tariff threats, there is no such thing as a scarcity of financial leverage for Denmark to harm the US.