Overview
- The Telangana Drugs Control Administration, which issued the advisory Tuesday, told people not to self‑medicate with semaglutide and to use it only under a doctor’s care.
- The notice says treatment should be supervised by registered medical practitioners, with endocrinologists or internal medicine specialists prescribing for approved uses of this GLP‑1 drug for diabetes and weight management.
- Officials listed severe risks from unsupervised use, including acute pancreatitis, acute kidney injury, severe gastrointestinal reactions and acute gallbladder disease.
- The regulator directed buyers to use licensed pharmacies with a valid prescription and to avoid unregulated online sellers, and it asked the public to report illegal sales or promotion.
- After the patent lapse this month, Indian manufacturers rolled out cheaper vials and prefilled pens, and the DCA barred surrogate advertising that could mislead consumers or fuel off‑label use.