Trump's Latest Name For GLP-1s Has Doctors And Patients Raising An Important Concern - HuffPost

What the report says

HuffPost reported that President Donald Trump’s repeated nicknames for GLP-1 medications, including “fat shots,” “fat drugs” and similar phrases, have drawn concern from patients and clinicians who say the language risks deepening stigma around obesity and people who use the drugs. The article noted that Trump has also moved to reduce the cost of the medications, but focused on reactions to how he describes them publicly.

GLP-1 drugs were first used for Type 2 diabetes and are now prescribed for conditions including obesity, with HuffPost also citing uses or benefits related to blood pressure, heart disease risk and sleep apnea. The outlet cited a Gallup poll saying 11% of U.S. adults report using the medications, compared with 3% in 2024, reflecting their rapid growth.

Doctors and users interviewed by HuffPost said the terminology can make the medications sound cosmetic or shameful rather than treatments for chronic health issues. Internal medicine physician Dr. Eric Burnett said he was more focused on coverage barriers, especially Medicaid access, than Trump’s wording. Other medical professionals, including Dr. Elizabeth Kazarian and Dr. Oni Blackstock, described the labels as insensitive and tied them to broader bias against people with obesity.

Patients quoted by HuffPost described the drugs as life-changing for conditions including diabetes, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease and weight-related health struggles. Their central concern was that dismissive language could discourage people from seeking or openly discussing care, even as access and affordability remain major policy questions.