Delhi High Court asks drug regulator to look into concerns over approval for weight-loss drugs

weight loss drugs

The Delhi High Court has asked the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to rope in experts and stakeholders to look into concerns arising out of approval for drug combinations being sold in the market for weight loss.

India has approved popular drugs such as Eli Lilly's blockbuster Mounjaro and Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, which are being marketed for weight loss.

The July 2 order came on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Jitendra Chouksey, alleging that licences for these drugs were issued without adequate data or India-specific trials and studies, potentially overlooking regional health profiles and genetic factors.

The petition also raised broader issues of transparency and accountability in drug approval processes.

Chouksey is the founder of FITTR, a community-driven online health and fitness platform.

A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked Chouksey to send a representation to the DCGI. The drug controller should consult experts and stakeholders, including drug manufacturers, and take a decision within three months, the court said, disposing of the petition.

Diya Kapur represented the petitioner, while Nishant Gautam appeared for the government and the respondents.

Chouksey on April 18 submitted representations to the DCGI and the health and family welfare secretary, outlining his concerns.

Lilly launched Mounjaro in March and Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk started selling Wegovy in the last week of June.

The drugs, once-in-a-week injections, belong to a class of therapies known as GLP-1 receptor agonists that help control blood sugar and slow digestion, making people feel fuller for longer.

Weight-loss drugs are approved for only obese people with BMI of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher (overweight) with at least one weight-related health condition like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Fuelled by ads and digital wellness influencers, people are seeing these drugs as a quick- fix for managing weight, often overlooking potential side-effects.

India is home to more than 100 million people with diabetes and nearly as many with obesity, making it a critical market for the next-generation metabolic therapies.