In some weird way this symbiotic relationship between the drug and food industries seems similar to that of the food and chemical industries. I'm referring to how they genetically modify crops to be resistant to herbicides so that you can spray fields with even more poison without killing the crops.

Aka: creating a market

It is self-sustaining - in your weird symbiotic way - for the ORGS involved at least.

I came across this quote from Fauci when he was reporting before Congress (in 2004) on the need for more billions for vaccines to fight the non-existent Anthrax terrorists:

Biotech firms are our Industrial partners - they are essential to countermeasure development. But they want some assurances if they are successful that there'll be a market for their product.

Both relationships are sick, or rather, make us sick.

News: It’s difficult to underestimate the success of Novo Nordisk, the company behind “miracle” weight loss jab Wegovy.

Such is the popularity of the revolutionary weekly appetite suppressant lauded by Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian that the company has become the most valuable in Europe.

The company is worth almost $A670bn and is now more valuable than the entire Danish economy combined.

Great. This way we don't need to regulate the fat/sugar industry that causes the problem ...

• Penalties for possessing more than 2 and less than 5 kilograms of illicit tobacco include a civil fine of $27,500
  
• Penalties for possessing 5 kilograms or more of illicit tobacco include a criminal penalty such as prison sentence of up to 5 years or a fine between $55,000 and $275,000, or both.
  
• Penalties for selling or buying illicit tobacco products include a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to 5 years or a fine between $55,000 and $275,000, or both.
  
• Penalties for manufacturing or producing illicit tobacco include a criminal conviction with a prison sentence of up to 10 years or a fine between $137,500 and $412,500, or both

This is why i'm wary of pot being legalized in Aus. Before you know it, it will be controlled by big corporations, taxes will go through the roof, & home-growers will face fines/jail time like the above.

A packet of ciggies in Aus costs about $45 (!),

WHAT?? That's insane. $45? I can't imagine. And I don't even smoke (currently).

The media did do a good job at reporting on the comorbidities of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, but they clearly evaded the elephant in the room -- that these conditions are more often than not caused by being FAT. Because we couldn't be politically incorrect, could we, nor would we want to upset the corporate pig trough we call fast food.

I don't watch TV but will occasionally flick on for a sporting contest - which is always proudly brought to you by the fat/sugar industry, alcohol, & gambling. Meanwhile, smoking has become the pariah. I understand that smoking is bad for you, but the hypocrisy is breath-taking. A packet of ciggies in Aus costs about $45 (!), & the packaging is covered with gross pictures of diseased lungs. If that makes sense for tobacco, then why isn't a Big Mac exorbitantly expensive & plastered with a picture of some obese person dying of Covid?

The media did do a good job at reporting on the comorbidities of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, but they clearly evaded the elephant in the room -- that these conditions are more often than not caused by being FAT. Because we couldn't be politically incorrect, could we, nor would we want to upset the corporate pig trough we call fast food.

So, in fact, the best, most effective advice people should be getting is to lose weight if you're overweight. That's it. Done. But not a word on that. There still isn't.

It takes time to lose weight. They should be pushing that message now, right? Before the next wave hits? But not a peep.

You can find plenty of information on this, but nobody reads that stuff. Especially people who like to sit in front of the TV and eat Taco Bell.

Obesity as a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19 and Complications: A Review

Obesity Worsens Outcomes from COVID-19

Obesity, the most common comorbidity in SARS-CoV-2: is leptin the link?

Stanford Medicine study: SARS-CoV-2 infects fat tissue, creates inflammatory storm cloud

And there's plenty more where that came from.