New Delhi, July 2 || The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to decide, within 3 months, a representation raising safety concerns on the usage of GLP-1-RA drugs in weight management and aesthetic treatment.
A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) against the manner in which Glucagon Like Peptide -1 Receptor Agonist (RA) (GLP-1-RA) drugs, specifically semaglutide, tirzepatide, and liraglutide have been granted marketing approval in India for weight loss and aesthetic purposes, despite being originally approved for treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
The PIL, filed through advocate Rohit Kumar, referred to the significant risks posed by these medications, including pancreatitis, gastrointestinal damage, thyroid and pancreatic cancers, cardiovascular complications, metabolic dysregulation, and optic neuropathy.
In its order, the CJ Upadhyaya-led Bench directed the PIL litigant to submit to CDSCO the scientific studies and data relied upon in the petition.