Fake Munjaro on Unapproved Retatrutide: Inside India’s Thriving Black Market for Diet Drugs | Today’s news
India’s weight-loss drug boom is fueling a growing market for fake and unlicensed drugs. According to a Bloomberg News report, consumers are being offered counterfeit Mounjaro, heavily discounted injections and even unapproved obesity drugs.
Among the products hitting the market are counterfeit versions of Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and unapproved retatrutide, the company’s next-generation obesity drug.
Munjaro fake operation exposed in Gurugram
The investigation began after Amandeep Chauhan, a drug control officer in Haryana, noticed that Mounjaro was being advertised on IndiaMART for about 20% less than its usual retail price. ₹13,125 for a month’s treatment, Bloomberg reported.
Chauhan arranged to meet the seller in Gurugram. According to Bloomberg, investigators found three cartons of Mounjaro pens in a Maruti Suzuki sedan before tracking the operation to a rented two-bedroom apartment.
Read also | Mounjaro gains weight to top Indian drug charts in October with ₹100 crore sales
The apartment contained injection pens, syringes, Eli Lilly-branded labels and packaging, as well as a refrigerator containing vials of peptides, Bloomberg reported.
Chauhan arrested businessman Avi Sharma in April. Products seized during the raid were tested by Eli Lilly and found to be counterfeit. According to Bloomberg, several doses contained 30% or less of the labeled concentration of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjar.
Why India’s Slimming Market Is Vulnerable
Bloomberg reported that expensive brand-name obesity drugs have helped create demand for cheaper alternatives. Patients can find sellers through Telegram, WhatsApp, online marketplaces and other informal channels.
The report also found that India’s large pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem gives counterfeiters access to ingredients, packaging and other supplies. Regulators have previously identified counterfeit drugs linked to Indian supply chains, Bloomberg reported.
Generic semaglutide complicates the market
India is also seeing rapid expansion of generic semaglutide products following the expiration of Novo Nordisk’s patent on the active ingredient, Bloomberg reported.
Read also | Eli Lilly launches pencil version of Mounjaro weight loss drug in India
According to the report, nearly three dozen generic semaglutide brands have entered the market, including tablets, vials and injectable products.
Notably, Mounjaro remains patent protected in India.
An unsanctioned retatrutide is emerging in India
The underground market has also reached experimental drugs. Bloomberg reported that investigators found retatrutide during a raid in Gurugram.
Retatrutide has not been approved for sale by any regulatory body and remains in clinical development. Still, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that unofficial distributors have approached doctors, wellness centers and beauty clinics in Mumbai with offers to supply.
Listings for retatrutide also appeared on IndiaMART and TradeIndia, Bloomberg reported.
Read also | First Mounjaro, now Yurpeak: Eli Lilly, Cipla to tie slimming drug
Eli Lilly told Bloomberg: “Retatrutide is an investigational drug, available in Lilly’s clinical trials, and has not been approved by any regulatory body anywhere in the world. No one can legally sell it for human use.”
How to identify fake Mounjaro
Counterfeit Mounjaro can be difficult to spot, but these warning signs can help:
- Check the packaging: Look for blurry print, misspellings, unusual fonts, incorrect colors or misplaced labels.
- Check the pen: Genuine Mounjaro should contain a clear, colorless liquid. Avoid pens that look damaged, cloudy or poorly made.
- Check the lot number: Some lots have been marked by the authorities. However, the lot number alone cannot confirm whether the pen is genuine.
- Beware of cheap deals: Mounjaro being offered at unusually low prices can be a red flag.
- Avoid online sellers: Do not buy weight loss injections through unknown sellers on WhatsApp, Telegram or social networks. Use a prescription and a registered pharmacy.
- Verify before use: If you suspect that the pen is counterfeit or has been tampered with, contact your pharmacy, Eli Lilly or the relevant medicines regulator before using it.
