GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic have become some of the world's most-wanted medicines, but soaring demand has also turned them into a stress test for the global drug system. 
 
On this episode of Why It Matters, we trace how the GLP-1 trend led to shortages, a booming gray market, and steep price gaps driven by patent laws that vary across borders.
 
Host:
 
<a href='https://www.cfr.org/bios/gabrielle-sierra'>Gabrielle Sierra</a>, Director of Podcasting, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
 
Guest:
 
<a href='https://www.cfr.org/experts/prashant-yadav'>Prashant Yadav</a>, Senior Fellow for Global Health, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
 
Read More:
 
“<a href='https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/01/23/6-facts-about-obesity-and-weight-loss-drugs-in-the-u-s/'>6 Facts About Obesity and Weight Loss Drugs In the U.S.</a>,” Pew Research Center
 
“<a href='https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12281309/'>The Expanding Benefits of GLP-1 Medicines</a>,” Cell Reports Medicine
 
“<a href='https://www.morganstanley.com/insights/articles/glp1-weight-loss-market-may-double-190-billion-2035'>Obesity Drugs Are Scaling Fast</a>,” Morgan Stanley
 
“<a href='https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-alerts-and-statements/fdas-concerns-unapproved-glp-1-drugs-used-weight-loss'>FDA’s Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss</a>,” U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
 
​​Want to keep up with Why It Matters? Sign up to receive an<a href='http://cfr.org/newsletters/#podcasts'> email alert</a> when new episodes drop.
 
Why It Matters is a production of the Council on Foreign Relations. The opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host and guests, not of the Council, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic have become some of the world's most-wanted medicines, but soaring demand has also turned them into a stress test for the global drug system. On this episode of Why It Matters, we trace how the GLP-1 trend led to shortages, a booming gray market, and steep price gaps driven by patent laws that vary across borders. Host: Gabrielle Sierra, Director of Podcasting, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Guest: Prashant Yadav, Senior Fellow for Global Health, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Read More: “6 Facts About Obesity and Weight Loss Drugs In the U.S.,” Pew Research Center “The Expanding Benefits of GLP-1 Medicines,” Cell Reports Medicine “Obesity Drugs Are Scaling Fast,” Morgan Stanley “FDA’s Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss,” U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ​​Want to keep up with Why It Matters? Sign up to receive an email alert when new episodes drop. Why It Matters is a production of the Council on Foreign Relations. The opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host and guests, not of the Council, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic have become some of the world's most-wanted medicines, but soaring demand has also turned them into a stress test for the global drug system. 
&nbsp;
On this episode of Why It Matters, we trace how the GLP-1 trend led to shortages, a booming gray market, and steep price gaps driven by patent laws that vary across borders.
&nbsp;
Host:
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.cfr.org/bios/gabrielle-sierra" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gabrielle Sierra</a>, Director of Podcasting, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
&nbsp;
Guest:
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.cfr.org/experts/prashant-yadav" rel="noopener noreferrer">Prashant Yadav</a>, Senior Fellow for Global Health, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
&nbsp;
Read More:
&nbsp;
“<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/01/23/6-facts-about-obesity-and-weight-loss-drugs-in-the-u-s/" rel="noopener noreferrer">6 Facts About Obesity and Weight Loss Drugs In the U.S.</a>,” Pew Research Center
&nbsp;
“<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12281309/" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Expanding Benefits of GLP-1 Medicines</a>,” Cell Reports Medicine
&nbsp;
“<a href="https://www.morganstanley.com/insights/articles/glp1-weight-loss-market-may-double-190-billion-2035" rel="noopener noreferrer">Obesity Drugs Are Scaling Fast</a>,” Morgan Stanley
&nbsp;
“<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-alerts-and-statements/fdas-concerns-unapproved-glp-1-drugs-used-weight-loss" rel="noopener noreferrer">FDA’s Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss</a>,” U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
&nbsp;
​​Want to keep up with Why It Matters? Sign up to receive an<a href="http://cfr.org/newsletters/#podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer"> email alert</a> when new episodes drop.
&nbsp;
Why It Matters is a production of the Council on Foreign Relations. The opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host and guests, not of the Council, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

How Demand for GLP-1s Overwhelmed the Global Drug System

This episode explores how drones, cell phones, and other widely-available intelligence tools are turning civilians and aid workers into frontline witnesses—documenting war in real time, guiding humanitarian aid, and helping build evidence that could power future war crimes cases. 
 
Host: 
 
<a href='https://www.cfr.org/bios/gabrielle-sierra'>Gabrielle Sierra</a>, Director of Podcasting, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
 
Guest:
 
<a href='https://www.cnas.org/'>Anthony Vinci</a>, Cofounder and CEO, Vico; Adjunct Senior Fellow, Technology and National Security Program, Center for a New American Security (CNAS)
 
<a href='https://www.cfr.org/experts/sam-vigersky'>Sam Vigersky</a>, International Affairs Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
 
We discuss:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight:400;">How drones, satellites, smartphones, and other widely-available tools are changing who gets to document war.</li>
<li style="font-weight:400;">How civilians are no longer just witnesses to conflict but are also recording attacks in real time and helping gather intelligence</li>
<li style="font-weight:400;">As Anthony Vinci puts it: “We’re becoming civilian spies.”</li>
<li style="font-weight:400;">How ordinary people are building digital evidence libraries online that may later support investigations into war crimes and accountability efforts.</li>
<li style="font-weight:400;">How drones are blurring the line between surveillance, intelligence gathering, and direct attacks on the battlefield.</li>
<li style="font-weight:400;">Why more access to information does not always lead to justice, especially when politics and institutions fail to act.</li>
<li style="font-weight:400;">How journalists, aid workers, and civilians face greater danger when documenting violence and sharing what they see.</li>
<li style="font-weight:400;">Why the growing flood of footage, data, and digital records is changing how audiences process war emotionally.</li>
</ul>
 
Read more:
 
Anthony Vinci, <a href='https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250370907/thefourthintelligencerevolution/'>The Fourth Intelligence Revolution</a>
 
Sam Vigersky, “<a href='https://www.cfr.org/articles/beyond-conventional-aid-institutionalizing-public-private-partnership-in-ukraines-humanitarian-response'>Beyond Conventional Aid: Institutionalizing Public-Private Partnership in Ukraine’s Humanitarian Response</a>,” CFR.org
 
“<a href='https://www.hrw.org/feature/russia-ukraine-war-mariupol/counting-the-dead'>Counting the Dead</a>,” Human Rights Watch
 
“<a href='https://www.hrw.org/feature/2025/06/03/listen-run-hide/how-russia-uses-quadcopter-drones-hunt-kill-kherson#intro-animation-container'>Listen, Run, Hide: How Russia Uses Quadcopter Drones to Hunt and Kill Civilians in Kherson, Ukraine</a>,” Human Rights Watch
 
“<a href='https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/05/un-commission-concludes-russian-armed-forces-drone-attacks-against-civilians'>UN Commission Concludes that Russian Armed Forces’ Drone Attacks Against Civilians in Kherson Province Amount to Crimes Against Humanity of Murder</a>,” United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner
 
Want to keep up with Why It Matters? Sign up to receive an <a href='http://cfr.org/newsletters/#podcasts'>email alert</a> when new episodes drop.
 
Why It Matters is a production of the Council on Foreign Relations. The opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host and guests, not of the Council, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

This episode explores how drones, cell phones, and other widely-available intelligence tools are turning civilians and aid workers into frontline witnesses—documenting war in real time, guiding humanitarian aid, and helping build evidence that could power future war crimes cases. Host: Gabrielle Sierra, Director of Podcasting, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Guest: Anthony Vinci, Cofounder and CEO, Vico; Adjunct Senior Fellow, Technology and National Security Program, Center for a New American Security (CNAS) Sam Vigersky, International Affairs Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) We discuss: How drones, satellites, smartphones, and other widely-available tools are changing who gets to document war. How civilians are no longer just witnesses to conflict but are also recording attacks in real time and helping gather intelligence As Anthony Vinci puts it: “We’re becoming civilian spies.” How ordinary people are building digital evidence libraries online that may later support investigations into war crimes and accountability efforts. How drones are blurring the line between surveillance, intelligence gathering, and direct attacks on the battlefield. Why more access to information does not always lead to justice, especially when politics and institutions fail to act. How journalists, aid workers, and civilians face greater danger when documenting violence and sharing what they see. Why the growing flood of footage, data, and digital records is changing how audiences process war emotionally. Read more: Anthony Vinci, The Fourth Intelligence Revolution Sam Vigersky, “Beyond Conventional Aid: Institutionalizing Public-Private Partnership in Ukraine’s Humanitarian Response,” CFR.org “Counting the Dead,” Human Rights Watch “Listen, Run, Hide: How Russia Uses Quadcopter Drones to Hunt and Kill Civilians in Kherson, Ukraine,” Human Rights Watch “UN Commission Concludes that Russian Armed Forces’ Drone Attacks Against Civilians in Kherson Province Amount to Crimes Against Humanity of Murder,” United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner Want to keep up with Why It Matters? Sign up to receive an email alert when new episodes drop. Why It Matters is a production of the Council on Foreign Relations. The opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host and guests, not of the Council, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

This episode explores how drones, cell phones, and other widely-available intelligence tools are turning civilians and aid workers into frontline witnesses—documenting war in real time, guiding humanitarian aid, and helping build evidence that could power future war crimes cases.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Host:&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.cfr.org/bios/gabrielle-sierra" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gabrielle Sierra</a>, Director of Podcasting, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
&nbsp;
Guest:
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.cnas.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Anthony Vinci</a>, Cofounder and CEO, Vico; Adjunct Senior Fellow, Technology and National Security Program, Center for a New American Security (CNAS)
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.cfr.org/experts/sam-vigersky" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sam Vigersky</a>, International Affairs Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
&nbsp;
We discuss:
<ul>
<li>How drones, satellites, smartphones, and other widely-available tools are changing who gets to document war.</li>
<li>How civilians are no longer just witnesses to conflict but are also recording attacks in real time and helping gather intelligence</li>
<li>As Anthony Vinci puts it: “We’re becoming civilian spies.”</li>
<li>How ordinary people are building digital evidence libraries online that may later support investigations into war crimes and accountability efforts.</li>
<li>How drones are blurring the line between surveillance, intelligence gathering, and direct attacks on the battlefield.</li>
<li>Why more access to information does not always lead to justice, especially when politics and institutions fail to act.</li>
<li>How journalists, aid workers, and civilians face greater danger when documenting violence and sharing what they see.</li>
<li>Why the growing flood of footage, data, and digital records is changing how audiences process war emotionally.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Read more:
&nbsp;
Anthony Vinci, <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250370907/thefourthintelligencerevolution/" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Fourth Intelligence Revolution</a>
&nbsp;
Sam Vigersky, “<a href="https://www.cfr.org/articles/beyond-conventional-aid-institutionalizing-public-private-partnership-in-ukraines-humanitarian-response" rel="noopener noreferrer">Beyond Conventional Aid: Institutionalizing Public-Private Partnership in Ukraine’s Humanitarian Response</a>,” CFR.org
&nbsp;
“<a href="https://www.hrw.org/feature/russia-ukraine-war-mariupol/counting-the-dead" rel="noopener noreferrer">Counting the Dead</a>,” Human Rights Watch
&nbsp;
“<a href="https://www.hrw.org/feature/2025/06/03/listen-run-hide/how-russia-uses-quadcopter-drones-hunt-kill-kherson#intro-animation-container" rel="noopener noreferrer">Listen, Run, Hide: How Russia Uses Quadcopter Drones to Hunt and Kill Civilians in Kherson, Ukraine</a>,” Human Rights Watch
&nbsp;
“<a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/05/un-commission-concludes-russian-armed-forces-drone-attacks-against-civilians" rel="noopener noreferrer">UN Commission Concludes that Russian Armed Forces’ Drone Attacks Against Civilians in Kherson Province Amount to Crimes Against Humanity of Murder</a>,” United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner
&nbsp;
Want to keep up with Why It Matters? Sign up to receive an <a href="http://cfr.org/newsletters/#podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer">email alert</a> when new episodes drop.
&nbsp;
Why It Matters is a production of the Council on Foreign Relations. The opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host and guests, not of the Council, which takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

Honey, I Tracked the War

Women and girls are excluded from career paths in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This gender gap is causing the world to lose out on “the genius of half the population,” according to former U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith.

Women and girls are excluded from career paths in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This gender gap is causing the world to lose out on “the genius of half the population,” according to former U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith.

STEMinism

For years, China processed more than half of the world’s recycling. Then, in 2018, it stopped. Things have gotten messy since then.

For years, China processed more than half of the world’s recycling. Then, in 2018, it stopped. Things have gotten messy since then.

China Doesn't Want Your Trash

The U.S. president can launch a first-strike nuclear attack at any time, and there’s no law mandating they seek advice first. Some experts think that’s too much power to put in one person’s hands.

The U.S. president can launch a first-strike nuclear attack at any time, and there’s no law mandating they seek advice first. Some experts think that’s too much power to put in one person’s hands.

The U.S.&nbsp;president can launch a first-strike nuclear attack at any time, and there’s no law mandating they seek advice first. Some experts think that’s too much power to put in one person’s hands.&nbsp;

The Big Red Button

We all worry about not understanding the problems that are shaping our world. Why It Matters is a story-driven podcast that gives you the tools you need to understand where things are headed. Fueled by the minds at the Council on Foreign Relations, and hosted by a journalist who is learning alongside you, the podcast weaves together conversations with the leaders and thinkers who are facing these problems head on.

We all worry about not understanding the problems that are shaping our world. Why It Matters is a story-driven podcast that gives you the tools you need to understand where things are headed. Fueled by the minds at the Council on Foreign Relations, and hosted by a journalist who is learning alongside you, the podcast weaves together conversations with the leaders and thinkers who are facing these problems head on.

We all worry about not understanding the problems that are shaping our world. Why It Matters is a story-driven podcast that gives you the tools you need to understand where things are headed.&nbsp;Fueled by the minds at the Council on Foreign Relations, and hosted by a journalist who is learning alongside you, the podcast weaves together conversations with the leaders and thinkers who are facing these problems head on.

Trailer: Why It Matters

Each episode of Why It Matters breaks down an issue that is shaping our world’s future. Join host Gabrielle Sierra as she speaks with the leaders and thinkers who are facing these questions head on. Fueled by the minds at the Council on Foreign Relations, Why It Matters brings some of the world’s most compelling stories home to you.

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