Could Ozempic Treat Addiction? Plus, Cryptid Hunting & Poll Worker Tips
Could GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy help people struggling with addiction? Pittsburgh is about to find out. A new $13.3 million study in Allegheny County will explore whether these medications can reduce cravings for alcohol and opioids. Executive producer Mallory Falk and creative producer Marla Kauffman discuss the promise of these drugs, why Allegheny County was chosen for the study, and the questions researchers still need to answer. Plus, creative producer Boen Wang shares what it’s like to work the polls on Election Day. And we’ve got some spooky (and not-so-spooky) events to check out this week.
Notes and references from today’s show:
- 'I Voted' Sticker Contest [Allegheny County]
- Can GLP-1s trim more than weight? Effect on drug use, crime to be studied in Pittsburgh. [Public Source]
- Allegheny County to test Ozempic, similar drugs on opioid and alcohol addiction treatment [TribLive]
- Better Government Through Data: Using the Allegheny County Human Services Data Warehouse to Design More Effective Results [Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation: Harvard University]
- Shapiro admin touts Carlow University’s addiction-counseling program as workforce pipeline [WESA]
- Opioid Settlement Money [Spotlight PA]
- New website tracks how Pennsylvania's $2.2B in opioid settlement funds is being spent [Temple University]
- Prevention Point Pittsburgh
- The Autonomous Body Shop
- PODCAST: Shapiro vs. Garrity, a Mafia-Style Toilet Fundraiser & TBD on New Local Taxes [City Cast Pittsburgh]
- Become a Poll Worker [Allegheny County]
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