Centre tightens checks on GLP-1 weight-loss drug promotion
The Indian government has ordered drug regulators to increase surveillance on the promotion and supply chain of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. Authorities are cracking down on surrogate advertising and ensuring these medications are only used for approved medical conditions under strict supervision.
Why it matters
As GLP-1 drugs gain global popularity, this move highlights the growing regulatory challenge of preventing the misuse of prescription medications through misleading marketing.
New Delhi: The Centre has directed drug regulators across states and Union Territories to tighten surveillance over the supply chain and promotion of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs amid concerns over surrogate advertising and misleading awareness campaigns.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has approved glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists only for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes in adults and for chronic weight management in adults with specified medical conditions.
She said these medicines can be dispensed only on the prescription of endocrinologists or internal medicine specialists, and the approved product information carries warnings to prevent inappropriate use and minimise the risks associated with unsupervised consumption.
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