In Short
- Affluent Indians surge in demand for weight-loss medications Ozempic and Mounjaro
- Drugs illicitly entering Indian pharmacies, skipping regulatory checks
- Unauthorized import and sale of drugs without proper documentation admitted by pharma outlets
A surge in demand among affluent Indians for weight-loss medications touted in showbiz circles has led to a concerning trend — drugs like Ozempic from Denmark’s Novo Nordisk and Mounjaro from America’s Eli Lilly are illicitly entering Indian pharmacies, sidestepping regulatory checks, an India Today investigation has found.
Pooja and her employer Amit Aggarwal of Aggarwal Pharma in Delhi’s Mehrauli area admitted to the unauthorized import and sale of Ozempic and Mounjaro without proper documentation.
These drugs, sourced from Egypt and Dubai, come with varying price tags, with the Dubai variant linked to severe side effects.
Pooja, speaking to India Today’s investigative reporter, revealed the shady practices, offering Mounjaro without bills or MRP.
“We get Ozempic on demand. It’s imported actually. We don’t issue bills. There’s no MRP either,” she said. “I can show you Mounjaro as well. Which one do you want?”
Pooja offered the drug in a packing of four injector pens.
She then connected the reporter to the store on a video call, who disclosed the smuggling routes and the associated risks, cautioning against the Dubai variant due to reported complications.
“You can take those injections that are available. How many do you want?” asked Aggarwal. “It comes from Egypt, and you can see the Egyptian labelling on the packaging. It’s priced at Rs 102,000.”
One brand, he added, is sourced from Dubai, which has no labelling like Egypt, but is priced at Rs 19,000-Rs 18,500.
“The Dubai variant has had complaints of severe side effects, leading to complications for patients. It’s not recommended. It significantly lowers patients’ blood pressure.”
Further investigation led to similar findings at AV Pharma in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, where Vivek admitted to selling Ozempic smuggled via Egypt without proper labelling and MRP.
“Ozempic is priced at Rs 23,000 for one (pack of) injection,” Vivek said.
“How many doses in it?” the reporter inquired.
“One injection carries four doses. We sell 2-3 pieces daily. It’s procured mostly on order and it’s not kept in stock. It carries the Egypt MRP, not the Indian MRP,” Vivek replied.
Manish at Maggu pharmaceutical store at Bhagirath Palace offered a variety of Ozempic at Rs 17,000 per injection.
“Will you be having Ozempic injections?” the reporter probed.
“It’s priced at Rs 17,000,” Manish replied, agreeing to supply five of them without an invoice.
REGULATORY APPROVALS IN US
The American drug regulator approved Ozempic for diabetes treatment in 2017, with a higher-dose variant approved in 2021 under the brand Wegovy for obesity treatment.
However, Mounjaro, also approved for diabetes, is often used off-label for weight loss.
These medications have common side effects, primarily gastrointestinal issues.
Dr Ambrish Mithal, Head of Endocrinology and Diabetes at Max Healthcare, cautioned against the use of these drugs without proper medical supervision, emphasising the risks associated with unauthorised procurement and off-label use.
Dr Ambrish Mithal, Head of Endocrinology and Diabetes at Max Healthcare, cautioned against the use of these drugs without proper medical supervision.
NOT OFFICIALLY AVAILABLE IN INDIA
“The important part here is that the drugs you mentioned Wegovy, Ozempic or Mounjaro, are not yet officially available in India, and that’s quite important for us to understand,” said Dr Mithal. “So you should not be choosing these drugs because you’re overweight and want to lose weight. You can then go back to your specialist, go back to the endocrinologist, and go back to your doctor and ask ‘are these drugs suitable for me?’”
Reports of counterfeit versions of these medications have further raised concerns, prompting warnings from health authorities and drugmakers in different parts of the world.
“They can cause significant nausea in many patients. Sometimes vomiting. Now, the other thing is that if someone has a history of pancreatitis, that person should not be attempting to take these drugs. Someone with a history of any thyroid cancer, dietary nodule should also not be taking these drugs,” Dr Mithal said.
