Whalesbook
Toh hua kya ki India ke Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) ne kaha ki yeh "We Know Now" campaign, jo obesity ko ek chronic bimari batane ke liye tha, woh chupke se Lilly ki prescription medicines ko promote kar raha tha.
Asal mein, yeh campaign March 2025 mein launch hue Lilly ke Mounjaro, jo ek GLP-1 treatment hai, ke saath hi chal raha tha. Aur kya pata, October 2025 tak toh Mounjaro India mein sabse zyada bikne wali dawai ban gayi! Campaign mein Mounjaro ka naam toh nahi tha, par regulator ko dar tha ki log Mounjaro ko yaad kar lenge.
India mein rules bade strict hain, prescription medicines ka direct public mein ad karna allowed nahi hai, indirect bhi nahi. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) pehle bhi companies ko surrogate advertising ke liye pakad chuka hai. Regulator aksar tabhi action leta hai jab kuch ho jata hai.
Is sabka effect Lilly par toh padega hi. Lilly jaisi badi company, jiska market cap lagbhag $800 billion hai aur P/E ratio 65x ke aas paas hai, uska stock bhi $850 ke paas chal raha hai. Ab yeh sab marketing strategies par zyada scrutiny hogi.
Aur sirf Lilly hi nahi, Novo Nordisk jaisi companies bhi iss race mein hain. Novo Nordisk ka market cap $450 billion hai, P/E 55x hai, aur stock $150 ke aas paas hai. Unka Wegovy bhi India aa raha hai, toh unhe bhi aise hi market access aur pricing ke issues face karne padenge.
India mein obesity market 2030 tak $839 million tak pahunchne ka andaza hai, toh companies growth toh chahti hain.
Yeh incident dikhata hai ki India mein companies ko public health message dete hue bhi bahut careful rehna padega, brand association ke bina. DCGI ka koi clear guidance na hone ki wajah se industry confuse hai. Lilly ne kaha hai ki woh authorities ke saath milkar kaam karegi aur compliance ensure karegi. Unke hisab se regulator ka guidance public awareness initiative ke saath 'irreconcilable' hai, matlab dono mil nahi rahe.
Ab sab industry wale wait kar rahe hain ki DCGI se aur kya clarity milti hai, kyunki GLP-1 therapies ka future India mein sirf efficacy aur pricing par hi nahi, balki is evolving regulatory landscape par bhi depend karega.