No prescription, no problem: Weight-loss are drugs sold dodging regulations
As prices of GLP medicines fall in India, easy pharmacy access and weak enforcement raise concerns over misuse
Last Updated: Apr 01, 2026, 16:53 IST4 min
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In a Nutshell
- GLP-1 weight-loss drugs sold without prescription in India
- Falling prices and weak enforcement fuel misuse concerns
- Regulators warn of health risks and tighten scrutiny
At a neighbourhood chemist in Gurugram, “Wegovy ya Ozempic hai kya?” [Do you have Wegovy or Ozempic?] has become a daily refrain. Since semaglutide lost patent protection in India on March 20, and dozens of low cost generics flooded the market, retail pharmacies have increasingly become the first point of contact for weight loss hopefuls, often bypassing doctors altogether.
When asked if a prescription was required, the immediate response was, “Nahi. Aap le lijiye, 15 percent discount bhi de denge. [No. You can just take it—we’ll even give you a 15 percent discount].”
When probed further on the need for a prescription, the pharmacist went behind the counter to check stock and confirmed that a prescription was indeed not needed.
The experience appears to be much the same across other metros. A popular chemist in South Bengaluru gave a similar response—even over the phone—except that he asked for a few hours to arrange delivery. “Apko chaiye toh mein mangva dunga, (if you want it, I’ll arrange it for you.)” he said. The response was no different at several Ahmedabad-based chemists.
The rush toward GLP 1 weight loss drugs in India comes at a moment when prices are falling sharply, availability is expanding, and regulatory enforcement is struggling to keep pace. What was once a niche, specialist driven therapy for diabetes and obesity risks becoming a loosely regulated lifestyle drug—sold across counters with little oversight.
These GLP 1 drugs are Schedule H medicines, which legally require a valid prescription.
“Chemists give some discounts, and it’s available without prescription. Some people use prescription for the first time, but for follow up orders rarely,” says a wholesale and retail seller based in Delhi. “Ideally, Schedule H drugs are supposed to be given by prescription. But that’s hardly the case,” he added.
There are also young women—often only slightly overweight—who are ‘trying out’ these drugs to lose weight quickly. The medications appear to be increasingly perceived as a quick fix to look a certain way. But medical experts warn that GLP 1 drugs should not be used without sustained doctor supervision.
Vikrant Shrotriya of Novo Nordisk said the company does not encourage non prescription use of GLP 1 drugs: “Today, the medicine is available at good pharmacies across the country, and we only wish and hope that good pharmacies follow local laws and do not dispense without a prescription.” He added that the company has consistently emphasised responsible use. “We keep emphasising one very important message, and we keep repeating it: Please take this medicine only when advised, and please take it through the proper channel. That is our continuous effort.”
Forbes India spoke to Rajiv Singhal, general secretary, All India Organisation of Chemists and Drugists, who said GLP 1 drugs are “a prescription drug and we don't promote it. It's not an OTC (over the counter) drug. We have told everyone not to give anyone without prescription. But doctors are prescribing. Since it's cheap, the demand has increased.”
The association, he said, has issued a formal circular to all chemists, cautioning against non prescription sales. Despite this, insiders acknowledge a visible uptick in off label and non prescription dispensing, as demand surges and enforcement struggles to keep pace.
Regulatory scrutiny tightens
That distinction becomes clear when speaking to patients for whom these drugs are medically indicated. Chirag Shah, a 58 year old diabetes and obesity patient based in Ahmedabad, has been on Mounjaro for close to two years.
“When starting out, I was told to start at a very low dose, and basis how my body reacted, the dosage was gradually increased,” he told Forbes India.
“In fact, when Ozempic was first released, it would have been a straightforward option for me—but due to my history with pancreatitis, I was advised against it. Even now, every two months, the doctor advises me to get sonographies done. There is constant monitoring.”
These are risks and nuances that someone experimenting with these medications on their own may fail to recognise.
There have been clear measures put in place by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) amid concerns of misuse.
In recent weeks, regulators have:
- reiterated that GLP 1 drugs are prescription only medicines, approved to be prescribed only by specialists such as endocrinologists, internal medicine physicians and, in some cases, cardiologists
- issued advisories to manufacturers banning surrogate advertising and indirect promotion that could encourage cosmetic or off label use
- conducted inspections across retail pharmacies, wholesalers, online pharmacies, and wellness clinics
- warned of licence cancellation, penalties, and prosecution for unauthorised sales and improper dispensing practices
— Additional inputs from Samidha Jain
First Published: Apr 01, 2026, 17:02
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