Dateline: March 4 2027
A revolutionary solution to the global obesity problem has been approved for human trials.
Gene therapy company Verve Therapeutics has developed a vaccine for well, fat. Based on CRISPR technology for DNA editing, the new vaccine targets a gene expressed in the brain, which encodes a protein that regulates appetite.
A simple jab switches the order of two nucleobases in our DNA, lowering our blood sugar response, and reversing the craving for more good-tasting food. After just a few forkfuls of pasta or a dozen French fries you’re absolutely satiated, and can’t face another mouthful; but your appetite for lettuce and broccoli remains untouched, ensuring you get your vitamins and minerals.
This is a game-changer for everyone who has ever struggled to keep their weight in check, or been told to “exercise more and eat less!” Now you can take the vax against maxing out your body mass, and eat whatever you like, whenever you like. Doctors, dietitians, and health authorities are rejoicing, as obesity is the number one lifestyle disease worldwide, and costs the economy trillions in lost productivity, treatment, care, and premature death.
With hundreds of millions of people eagerly awaiting the availability of the “fat jab”, Verve has issued a cautionary note. Lab tests have revealed that the vaccine requires a periodic “update” to switch the genes back to “normal” to avoid unpleasant side effects. As such, Verve will offer the treatment purely on a subscription plan, and failure to renew your subscription will mean you lose all the benefits.
Purveyors of wonder diets, “fat-burning” supplements, and exercise programmes guaranteed to help you lose weight and stay slim, are part of a trillion-dollar slimming industry. They risk irrelevance in the face of this new technology, with Verve becoming the next pharma megacap stock to dominate the market, challenging the likes of Apple and Tesla for top spot.
So, if you can afford the subscription, forget the flab and take the jab.
• First published on Mindbullets on March 9 2023
Exercise genie in a bottle
Beating obesity one drink at a time
Dateline: March 15 2026
In the race for the perfect health and energy drink, Eltsen will go down in history as the ultimate winner. Eltsen has figured out how to stimulate the main enzyme that regulates the human metabolism, which in effect means that people can burn fat without having to engage in strenuous exercise. A 30-minute jog can be replaced by one glass of EGIAB (Exercise Genie In A Bottle) and 10 minutes of YouTube aerobics.
About 10 years ago we saw people hydrating themselves with smart drinks, which boosted their creativity and even their IQ. However, ethical questions were raised about perfectly healthy individuals getting talent from a bottle. Eltsen is hoping to sidestep such criticism by framing EGIAB in a different way.
At a press conference Eltsen chief researcher Johann Grossenbacher explained that they first delved into science nutrition to help curb the massive growth of obesity and reinvent its treatment. “With an estimated 40% of the world population classified as obese, EGIAB couldn’t have been launched at a better time. Imagine the progress we could make in terms of the $3-trillion economic burden of obesity,” he said. Eltsen posits that a stationary couch potato could lose 1.5kg every month by pairing four short exercise sessions with EGIAB.
An “unintended consequence” of EGIAB is the helping hand it offers to those who have become less mobile due to old age. Asian and European governments, weighed down by the immense cost of taking care of ageing populations, have already placed bulk orders for EGIAB. Rumour has it that they will be drone-delivering a drink per day to algorithm-selected citizens who will benefit the most from sipping the miracle elixir.
Don’t you just love progress?
• First published on Mindbullets January 15 2015
• Despite appearances to the contrary, Futureworld cannot and does not predict the future. The Mindbullets scenarios are fictitious and designed purely to explore possible futures and challenge and stimulate strategic thinking.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.