IMA Cautions Against Misuse of New Weight-Loss Drugs

Speedy Summary

• The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has expressed concerns over the misuse and mis-prescription of weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro, which belong to the GLP-1 medication category.
• IMA President Dilip bhanushali stated these drugs should only be prescribed by certified endocrinologists or diabetologists due to unknown long-term complications.
• IMA plans to formally request stricter prescription controls from India’s health ministry and drug regulator.
• Reports indicate misuse by non-modern medicine practitioners, including cosmetologists, physiotherapists, and ayurveda practitioners. Dermatologist Geoffrey Vaz highlighted cases of random prescriptions for cosmetic purposes linked to social media trends.
• Concern exists over “easy access” through online pharmacies selling these medicines without prescription verification systems in place.
• India’s weight-loss drug market is projected to grow from its current Rs 700 crore to between Rs 8,000-10,000 crore by the decade’s end as generic versions become cheaper post-patent expiration in 2026.
• Over-the-counter sales raise worries about unregulated prescriptions similar to previous global incidences of errors reported with such medications abroad.
• Analysts estimate usage will surge from approximately 100,000 users currently to four million users by 2029-30.

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Indian Opinion Analysis
The warning issued by the IMA regarding inappropriate use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs underscores broader concerns about medical irresponsibility amid growing demand for quick solutions like anti-obesity treatments influenced by aesthetics norms or social media culture. As these medications become more affordable with generics expected soon in India,ensuring standardized prescribing practices will be essential-not only as a public health safeguard but also as a measure against potential strain on healthcare infrastructure if side effects emerge widely among uninformed users.

India’s pharmaceutical regulatory framework may need refinement in tackling loose oversight around dispensing practices evident here-where pharmacists allow low-cost prescriptions without adequate checks-and integrate robust guidelines suited toward such transformative categories redefining or else diabetic-target flagships increasingly slipping bypass onto focused aesthetic consumer bases risks turning clinical norm to normalized unchecked semi-errors precedence