However, the pharmaceutical companies are making the case that weight loss can improve health, and possibly lower health-care costs over time. But analysts have said the news isn't all bad for such stocks, and many were fell too low on Tuesday. Deutsche Bank analyst Imron Zafar estimated Thursday that bariatric surgery accounts for about 5% of Intuitive Surgical's U.S. robotic surgery business, but has been driving much of the company's growth. Some of the surgeons Zafar spoke with said any drop off in bariatric surgery was likely to be offset by increased use of the robot for other procedures. But they expect the drugs will remain necessary because GLP-1 drugs have yet to show they improve fibrosis, which is associated with NASH.

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Persons: nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, NASH, Abbott, Robbie Marcus, Marcus, Marcus doesn't, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Stryker, Smith, Zimmer Biomet, Bariatric, Imron Zafar, Zafar Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Abbott Laboratories, CNBC, JPMorgan, Companies, Inspire Medical Systems, Resmed, Philips, Nephew, Deutsche Bank, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Sagimet Biosciences, Akero Therapeutics, Terns Pharmaceuticals, Viking Therapeutics, Madrigal Locations: U.S