3 weeks ago
The dark side of India's booming market for weight-loss drugs
Mounjaro is a medicine that helps very heavy people lose weight.
It works by making the brain feel full, so people eat less.
Before someone takes it, a special doctor must check if it is safe for them.
But a news investigation found that in India, many places are not following the rules.
Beauty salons sell the medicine like a normal beauty treatment.
Some shops and websites give it to people without asking for a doctor's prescription.
Some people who used it without proper checks became very sick and had to go to the hospital.
Doctors say the medicine can really help, but only when a doctor watches over the treatment.
Everyone should talk to a real doctor before using weight-loss medicines.
Sales of GLP-1 injectable weight-loss drugs in India jumped from Rs 525 crore in May 2025 to Rs 1,906 crore in May 2026.
Beauty salons in Mumbai and Delhi bundled Mounjaro into packages costing up to Rs 99,000, with dermatologists handling treatment and endocrinologists writing prescriptions after quick calls.
Seven of 11 online suppliers and seven of 10 Mumbai chemists agreed to sell Mounjaro without a prescription, despite it being a schedule H drug.
PharmEasy provided a prescription and doorstep delivery of Mounjaro to a reporter whose BMI of 27 with no comorbidities made her ineligible under CDSCO rules.
Doctors reported hospitalisations for pancreatitis and other severe gastrointestinal conditions among patients using the drugs without proper monitoring.
- Who
- Indian patients like 35-year-old Saloni Khera of Mumbai, doctors such as Dr Dheeraj Kapoor and Dr Jalil Parkar, and sellers including beauty salons, chemists and e-pharmacies like PharmEasy.
- What
- Scroll's investigation revealed that India's booming GLP-1 weight-loss drug market is rife with unauthorised prescriptions, sales without prescriptions, and unsafe beauty-package sales of Mounjaro.
- Where
- India, including Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana and Hyderabad.
- When
- The investigation was reported in 2026; sales data spans May 2025 to May 2026, and the Union health ministry inspected 49 businesses in April 2026.
- Why
- High demand for quick weight loss has driven a booming market, leading many sellers to bypass medical safeguards and put patients at risk of serious side effects.
Doctors and health regulators
Drug sellers and e-pharmacies
Prescription and eligibility standards
Doctors and health regulators
Only cardiologists, endocrinologists and internal medicine specialists should prescribe GLP-1 drugs after a comprehensive clinical assessment, including checks for thyroid, gall stones and family history.
Drug sellers and e-pharmacies
PharmEasy says its tele-consultation processes comply with applicable regulations and that the decision to prescribe rests entirely with the independent registered doctor, who cannot be influenced by the platform.
Effectiveness versus safety risks
Doctors and health regulators
Medical specialists stress that even effective drugs can cause serious harm such as pancreatitis, kidney injury and bowel obstruction, and that doses cannot be standardised across patients.
Drug sellers and e-pharmacies
Patients like Saloni Khera found the drug highly effective, losing 35 kg in 11 months under medical supervision, while some sellers promote the injections as safe and giving fast results with no side effects.
Key facts
- Drug
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide), a GLP-1 injectable weight-loss drug
- Manufacturer
- Eli Lilly (US-headquartered)
- Market growth
- Sales rose from Rs 525 crore (May 2025) to Rs 1,906 crore (May 2026)
- Authorised prescribers
- Cardiologists, endocrinologists and internal medicine specialists only
- Eligibility (CDSCO)
- BMI over 30 without comorbidity, or BMI 27-30 with comorbidities such as diabetes or hypertension
- Package prices
- Rs 99,000 (Mumbai salon) and Rs 92,000 (Delhi clinic) for three months, about three times the drug cost
- Prescription violations
- 7 of 11 online suppliers and 7 of 10 Mumbai chemists agreed to sell without a prescription
- Regulatory action
- Union health ministry inspected 49 businesses in April; notices issued for violations
Quotes
Dermatologist at Mumbai clinic
Practitioner offering weight‑loss services at a beauty salon
“"When we prescribe this medication, we do a comprehensive assessment. We check whether the person has a history of gall stones or thyroid through an ultrasound."”
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“"It is safe. If you have a side effect, it means the drug is actually working," the dermatologist told us.”
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Saloni Khera
Social media manager and GLP‑1 user who formed a support group
“"I advise everyone to do this only under medical supervision," Khera said.”
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Sources
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