Union Govt tightens checks on GLP-1 weight-loss drug ads
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 risks associated with unsupervised consumption.
Responding to a question on whether advertisements for weight-loss drugs under the guise of “awareness” were crossing the line and whether GLP-1 drugs were being promoted through surrogate marketing, Patel said CDSCO had issued an advisory on March 10, 2026, to manufacturers, importers and marketing authorisation holders. The advisory directed them to strictly comply with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and ensure that manufacture, sale and distribution conform only to approved indications and conditions of permission.
It specifically prohibits surrogate advertisements and any form of direct or indirect promotion, including disease-awareness campaigns and digital outreach, that may mislead consumers or encourage the use of these prescription medicines without medical supervision, she said.
Patel said CDSCO subsequently issued another advisory on March 27, 2026, to all State and UT drug controllers, asking them to strengthen regulatory monitoring of the entire supply chain of GLP-1-based weight-loss drugs. The advisory also called for strict adherence to approved indications and product labelling, ensuring that manufacture, import, distribution and sale take place only through authorised channels.
