The Delhi High Court has taken note of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by petitioner, raising serious concerns about the unregulated approval and off-label promotion of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs such as Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, and Liraglutide in India for cosmetic weight loss purposes.
Originally developed for Type 2 Diabetes, these drugs are now being used for aesthetic weight management despite limited India-specific clinical trials and lack of long-term safety data. The PIL points to international concerns over side effects like pancreatitis, thyroid cancer, and neurological issues, as well as ongoing litigation in countries like the United States and reports of fatalities in the UK.
The Court has directed the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to examine the petitioner’s representation and file a comprehensive response within three months. The petitioner has also been instructed to submit the scientific studies and data relied upon.
With these directions, the matter has been disposed of by the Court.
Advocates appearing in the case:Â
Petitioner: Senior Advocate Diya Kapur; Rohit Kumar, Â Aditya Ladha, Raghav Kumar, Ujjawal Gaur and Aakansha Chauhan, Advocates