India, March 12 -- image credit- shutterstock

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued a strong advisory cautioning pharmaceutical companies against direct or indirect promotion of prescription medicines used for obesity and metabolic disorders, particularly GLP-1 receptor agonists.

In the advisory issued on March 10 through the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), the regulator noted that certain companies may be engaging in surrogate promotional practices such as disease awareness campaigns, digital media outreach, and influencer-driven communication that indirectly create brand visibility and demand for prescription-only drugs among the general public.

The regulator stressed that such promotional pract...