Eli Lilly halts India obesity awareness campaign after regulatory scrutiny

Eli Lilly suspended its obesity awareness campaign in India following regulatory scrutiny from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). The campaign, launched mid-2025 under the name 'We Know Now,' aimed to reframe obesity as a chronic disease using newspaper ads, social media, billboards, and Bollywood celebrity partnerships—without directly referencing Mounjaro, the company’s GLP-1 treatment for obesity and diabetes introduced in India in March 2025. In a 16-page letter dated April 10, Lilly cited 'regulatory caution' after the DCGI issued a March advisory prohibiting indirect promotion of prescription drugs, including surrogate advertising. The regulator argued the campaign’s timing—coinciding with Mounjaro’s launch—risked indirect promotion, despite Lilly’s claims it focused on public health education led by physicians. The DCGI also questioned whether Lilly reviewed materials for compliance. India’s obesity rates have risen sharply, with government data showing 24% of women and 23% of men aged 15–54 classified as overweight or obese in 2019–2021, up from 20.6% and 19% respectively in 2015–2016. Lilly argued the campaign was scientifically sound and patient-focused, but the regulator’s guidance created 'significant uncertainty,' leaving Lilly unsure whether even non-branded, doctor-led initiatives were permissible. Mounjaro became India’s top-selling drug in October 2025, ahead of Novo Nordisk’s competing weight-loss treatment, Wegovy. The Indian obesity drug market is projected to grow to ₹8,000 crore ($839.37 million) annually by 2030, up from ₹1,734 crore currently, according to Pharmarack. Lilly’s pause on the campaign has stifled public health discussions, the company stated, despite the regulator’s acknowledgment that awareness initiatives aligned with medical associations could proceed.