India’s drug regulator has issued a fresh advisory warning pharmaceutical companies against promoting prescription weight-loss medicines to the general public. The notice specifically highlights GLP-1 therapies, widely used for obesity and diabetes treatment, and reiterates that such drugs cannot be advertised under existing Indian drug laws.

The advisory, released by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), states that both direct and indirect promotion of prescription medicines is prohibited. This includes traditional advertising as well as surrogate marketing methods such as influencer collaborations, celebrity endorsements, and campaigns framed as obesity awareness initiatives that may indirectly promote a specific medication.

The regulator noted that interest in GLP-1 receptor agonists has increased rapidly in India and globally. Pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, which introduced obesity therapies in India last year, have been expanding educational outreach around obesity treatment and medical interventions.

However, CDSCO warned that any promotional activity that overstates drug effectiveness, guarantees weight-loss outcomes, or downplays the role of lifestyle changes could be considered misleading marketing. The regulator emphasised that even disease-awareness campaigns could be treated as surrogate advertising if they create recall or preference for a specific prescription product.

The advisory reinforces provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Drugs Rules, 1945, which prohibit advertising prescription medicines directly to consumers.

Health authorities also highlighted that obesity is a chronic metabolic condition requiring long-term management through dietary changes, physical activity, behavioural support, and medical supervision. Prescription medicines such as GLP-1 therapies should therefore be used only when prescribed by qualified medical practitioners and in line with approved clinical guidelines.

The regulator’s warning comes as India faces a growing obesity burden, with global health projections suggesting the country could have one of the largest overweight and obese populations by 2050.