Eli Lilly Says It Opposes Use of Its Weight-Loss Drug as Beauty Cosmetic

Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has warned about the misuse of its weight-loss drugs, saying they should only be used by patients diagnosed with obesity or diabetes.

The company issued a statement on January 4 saying: "Eli Lilly is committed to delivering breakthrough treatments to meet the needs of people with diabetes and obesity. Mounjaro and Zepbound are indicated to treat serious diseases, they are not approved and should not be used for losing weight in a cosmetic sense.”

Mounjaro and Zepbound are the brand names of the chemical tezepatide, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, respectively. Zepbound was only approved by the FDA in early November.

These new drugs, including similar products made by Novo Nordisk Ozempic and Wegovy, gained significant attention in 2023 as new data demonstrated their weight loss and cardiovascular benefits, significantly increasing demand.

Social media influencers have also spurred a surge in demand by touting the drug's dramatic weight-loss benefits. The TikTok trend #ozempic took off in September 2022, with celebrities like Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian sharing their personal use of Ozempic as a weight loss pill.

Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have yet to report fourth-quarter 2023 earnings, but Ozempic and Wegovy enabled the Danish pharmaceutical giant to post record profits in the second and third quarters. Eli Lilly attributed much of its third-quarter revenue to sales of Mounjaro.

Eli Lilly's warning also strongly advises against the use of tezepatide compounds that are mixed by pharmacists rather than purchased directly from the manufacturer. Epidemic obesity and diabetes drug supply shortages fueled by social media hype have spurred unauthorized production of the compound.

In late December, the FDA announced that the agency was investigating "counterfeit Ozempic," a compounded version of the chemical drug semaglutide.

At the time, the FDA recommended that retail pharmacies purchase authentic Ozempic only through authorized Novo Nordisk dealers. The agency also advises consumers not to purchase drugs directly from online sellers.

"Patient safety is Eli Lilly's top priority," the company said in the press statement, "and we are actively engaged in monitoring, evaluating and reporting safety information for all of our medicines. We want to address these issues publicly to ensure our medicines are prescribed and used safely."