By Rishika Sadam
HYDERABAD, May 12 (Reuters) – Eli Lilly paused its obesity awareness campaign in India after the nation’s drugs regulator warned the company it could violate rules against advertising prescription medicines to consumers even indirectly, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
The U.S. company’s campaign titled “We Know Now” was launched in the middle of 2025, a few months after Lilly introduced its GLP-1 treatment Mounjaro for obesity and diabetes in India. Its message focused on reframing obesity as a chronic disease rather than a personal failing.
Lilly’s campaign featured newspaper ads, social media posts, billboards, collaborations with Bollywood celebrities and even posters in a few residential communities. Lilly’s corporate logo appeared on the messages, but Mounjaro was not mentioned.
In a 16-page letter dated April 10 and sent to the Drugs Controller General of India, Lilly said it had halted the campaign “out of an abundance of regulatory caution” following a March advisory from the regulator.
Lilly said the campaign was meant to help people better understand obesity without naming any product, featuring doctors discussing the condition and urging people to consult their providers for the best advice.
India, a country of more than 1.4 billion people, has seen a rise in overweight and obesity. A government survey conducted between 2019 and 2021 showed that about 24% of women aged 15–49 and nearly 23% of men aged 15–54 were overweight or obese, up from 20.6% of women and about 19% of men in 2015–2016.
The Indianapolis-based drugmaker, in the letter, said its decision to hit pause on the awareness campaign has “had the unintended consequence of silencing a scientifically sound, physician-led public health campaign that was actively serving the interests of patients and the healthcare community.”
Drugs Controller General of India Rajeev Raghuvanshi did not respond to a request for comment.
India’s drugs regulator in an advisory sent to Eli Lilly in March said product advertisements, including surrogate promotions that may indirectly lead consumers to a medicine, are prohibited across media platforms. It said campaigns or influencer engagement that create brand recall or product visibility would be treated as violations.
In a separate notice, also sent to Lilly in March, the regulator pointed out that the company’s awareness campaign had coincided with Mounjaro’s India launch and could potentially indirectly promote the drug to consumers, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
REGULATOR SEEKS RESPONSE, LILLY CITES UNCERTAINTY
The regulator asked for a company response as to whether it had reviewed the materials for regulatory compliance and what steps it had taken to ensure adherence to drugs rules.
Lilly launched Mounjaro in India in March 2025, ahead of Danish rival Novo Nordisk’s Indian weight-loss entry. It became the country’s top-selling drug in October, while Novo’s Wegovy plays catch-up and faces competition from cheaper local generics.
The obesity market in India is expected to reach 80 billion rupees ($839.37 million) annually by 2030, from a current valuation of 17.34 billion rupees, according to research firm Pharmarack.
Lilly said in the letter that the guidance it received had created “significant regulatory uncertainty” and appeared to restrict even non-branded, doctor-led campaigns. At the same time, the company said India’s regulator, in the advisory, said Lilly may undertake public awareness initiatives and work with medical associations to promote the safe use of medicines.
Lilly described the two positions as “irreconcilable” and said the lack of clarity had placed it and the wider industry in an uncertain position. Lilly also asked whether physician-led discussions on diseases, without reference to specific medicines, would fall within the scope of the restrictions.
Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines is common in the U.S.
In a statement last week, Lilly said its activities do not promote any specific medicine and are designed and reviewed to comply with all local laws and regulations, and that it works closely with regulatory authorities in India and respects the important role they play in safeguarding public health.
It is unclear if Novo, which also conducts obesity awareness campaigns in India, received any similar advisory from the regulator. Novo did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.
($1 = 95.3100 Indian rupees)
(Reporting by Rishika Sadam in Hyderabad; Editing by Dhanya Skariachan, Michele Gershberg and Bill Berkrot)
Comments