Weight-loss drugs and the new frontier in the fight against abortion

Over the past year, so-called “miracle” weight-loss drugs have exploded onto the internet. Although famous users have boosted their reputation, they owe much of their fame to social media and chat rooms, where they are promoted by influencers and everyday people.

Yet not everyone who needs it goes to the doctor. Throughout 2022, the growing demand for weight loss injections has caused global shortages. As a result, some people have started looking for these drugs illegally, crossing borders or buying them under the counter without a prescription.

Do hype and hashtags tell the whole story? What are the physical, social and psychological side effects of a miracle? And can all advertising trick people into doing things they absolutely shouldn’t? Read the full story.

—Amelia Tait

Texas is trying new tactics to restrict access to abortion pills online

There has been a quiet shift in the fight against abortion in the United States. Since the cancellation of Roe v. Wade last June, laws making most abortions illegal were passed in 13 states. So far, efforts to restrict abortion care have primarily focused on criminalizing medical providers. But increasingly, the battlefield is moving online.

Texas is currently trying to limit access to abortion pills by cracking down on internet service providers and credit card processing companies. Earlier this month, Republicans in the state legislature introduced two bills to that effect.