Weight-loss drugs may prevent thousands of knee replacements, study suggests

Patients with knee arthritis who took medications for at least three years at reduced risk of needing surgery Taking weight-loss drugs for at least three years could prevent thousands of knee replacements a year, research suggests. Globally, more than 500 million people have osteoarthritis. Knee arthritis is the most common form, affecting about 14 million people in the US and more than 5 million in the UK. Many will require knee surgery. In the UK more than 120,000 knee replacements are carr...

By Anna Bawden Health and social affairs correspondent