Mounjaro becomes part of Indian wedding prep as brides targeted by weight-loss jabs
A New Delhi wellness clinic has touted "Mounjaro bride" package for soon-to-be newlyweds looking to lose weight before walking down the aisle
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New Delhi-based wellness clinic Klarity Skin Clinic has promoted pre-wedding weight-loss packages with Mounjaro as India's obesity drugs market is predicted to reaching $860.34 million by 2030.
In a social media video, Klarity offers "guided nutrition, Mounjaro and smart workouts" to prepare brides before they say 'I do'. The clinic did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
Eight doctors interviewed by the outlet said they have been receiving enquiries from brides, and some grooms, about taking weight-loss drugs before their special day. Many asked for Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, the first GLP-1 medication to enter India's market for both diabetes and weight loss.
Mounjaro has become more sought after than Novo Nordisk's rival Wegovy, the doctors said.
Rajat Goel, a bariatric surgeon at Hindivine Healthcare in New Delhi, told Reuters: "Over the last few months, over 20% of the queries we've received for obesity injections are from to-be brides, who also openly give us a timeline on how soon they are getting married."
He said he prescribed the drugs only if patients were medically eligible, not for cosmetic use.
The main reason behind the controversial "Mounjaro bride" packages perhaps lies within societal pressure, as weddings in India are grand affairs. Many marriages continue to be arranged by families, often bringing expectations around physical appearance and financial status.
Aditi, a 26-year-old finance worker from Mumbai, sought help from a doctor in November, who prescribed her a weight-loss drug after exercise and diet failed to get the desired results.
"When I see the result, I feel happy,” Aditi said about losing 10 kilograms on Mounjaro before her February wedding. "If I am not happy, I don't feel confident. I did not want to feel that way at the time of the wedding."
She is one of the half a dozen brides, and one groom, who spoke to Reuters about pre-wedding use of weight-loss drugs, but asked not to use their family names due to social stigmas.
They also explained that they felt pressured to look a "certain way" at their wedding and most had discontinued the injections soon after.
The weight-loss drugs market in India is booming, expected to reach 80 billion rupees ($851.79 million) by 2030. Mounjaro sales doubled in the months after launch, making it the highest-selling drug in the world's most populous nation.
However, taking advantage of the increased demand in the jabs, local drugmakers have begun to flood the market with cheaper weight-loss medicines, raising concerns about misuse and intensified scrutiny of unauthorised sales.
"We understand the curiosity, but this cannot be a quick fix," said Dr. Swati Pradhan, founder of obesity and metabolic wellness clinic Live Light, insisting on lifestyle changes for sustainable results.