Eli Lilly, the US-based manufacturer of weight-loss drugs, has stopped its obesity awareness campaign in India after facing questions from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). The campaign had promoted awareness about obesity and related health risks, but authorities examined whether it indirectly promoted prescription medicines, according to a report by Reuters.India’s drug regulator has asked the company to explain certain parts of the campaign. Officials were reviewing whether the awareness material could be treated as indirect advertising of obesity drugs, which is restricted under Indian regulations.
The campaign was linked to rising interest in weight-loss treatments globally, especially newer obesity medicines that have seen strong demand in several countries.
Indian authorities are said to be closely monitoring how pharmaceutical companies promote such treatments in the country.Eli Lilly said it had paused the campaign while engaging with regulators and reviewing the concerns raised.The company stated that its awareness initiatives were intended to educate the public about obesity as a serious medical condition.The report said India has strict rules on direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines. Companies are generally not allowed to promote prescription drugs directly to the public through marketing campaigns.Obesity and diabetes treatments have become one of the fastest-growing segments in the global pharmaceutical industry.Drugmakers are increasingly expanding their presence in markets such as India, where obesity and lifestyle-related diseases are rising.Eli Lilly has been preparing to expand access to its obesity and diabetes treatments in India.However, regulatory scrutiny around awareness campaigns and drug promotion could affect how companies market such products in the country.Pharmaceutical companies may now become more cautious while running disease awareness campaigns in the country, especially in areas linked to prescription medicines and rapidly growing treatment categories.