As Ozempic, Mounjaro demand surges in state, doctors warn against misuse

Panaji: Goa, which has a high incidence of diabetes and obesity, is seeing a sharp rise in demand for Ozempic and Mounjaro, drugs known to deliver faster results than conventional weight loss and anti-diabetes medicines.

In 2024, GMC’s endocrinology department reported that 26.4% of the state’s population is diabetic and 20.3% is pre-diabetic. With awareness about these two drugs already high, many people are approaching doctors seeking prescriptions, especially for weight loss.

“Several patients come to me specifically requesting these drugs. The demand is seen across both genders,” said Dr Aditya Phadte, former assistant professor at KEM Hospital and now consultant endocrinologist at Dr Aditya Phadte’s Endocrine Centre in Margao and at Manipal Hospital. “Blood sugar improvement is typically seen within weeks, while weight loss becomes noticeable over four to eight weeks. More significant changes are evident over three to six months, depending on adherence and lifestyle measures,” Phadte said.

Doctors are willing to prescribe these relatively new drugs in the Indian market, but they also warn against misuse, even if it is not yet widespread.

Patients who take these drugs on their own for quicker results, or based on advice from social media platforms, risk serious health problems.

Dr Vaibhav Dukle, consultant endocrinologist at Manipal Hospital, cited the case of a 36-year-old woman who was overweight but not obese, but self-medicated with higher doses of Ozempic (semaglutide). She lost weight rapidly and also substantial muscle mass. “She even developed nutritional deficiencies and presented with severe gastrointestinal symptoms of vomiting, nausea and profuse diarrhoea,” Dukle said. “Recovery after discontinuation is often a slow process, especially when it comes to muscle mass loss (sarcopenia). Loss of muscle, which takes a lifetime to build, will be replaced by fat when medication is stopped in the absence of appropriate nutrition and exercise,” he said.

Dukle said the drugs are safe and highly effective when taken under medical supervision, but cautioned against relying on advice from Google or AI platforms to begin treatment.

Experts said significant weight loss usually requires use of the drugs for several months to years, depending on individual response.

Dr Tejas Kamat, director and consultant at Diabetes Care Clinic in Panaji, said that when combined with proper diet control and regular physical activity, patients generally begin losing a few kilograms within a couple of months. However, maximum weight loss of 14% to 20% of body weight may take up to 1.5 years. “The result will depend on dosage and the individual’s ability to follow diet and exercise,” Kamat said.

The availability of these drugs in India at lower prices since last year has further driven demand. “People who had cost constraints earlier, are now rushing to take the drugs. We too are prescribing them to patients who fit the criteria, without worrying about the cost,” Dukle said.

However, Dr Vinayak Bhat, consultant physician at JMJ Hospital and RG Stone Hospital, said the drugs remain unaffordable for many of his patients, most of whom come from the middle- and lower middle-income brackets. “My patients can’t afford them, but they are also reluctant to take them because they are injectables and they fear side effects,” he said.

Kamat also said injections remain a barrier to acceptance, though he noted that these are self-administered once a week. “The needle is extremely fine and virtually painless. Once a patient understands these facts, acceptability generally improves,” he said.

Doctors further pointed to a common misconception that these drugs can produce weight loss without any need for exercise or dietary changes.

“Some believe they are “magic” weight loss drugs which can be used in the short-term for quick results. The misconception is that there’s no need to make any lifestyle changes and they are completely free of side effects,” said Phadte.

Kamat warns that these medicines are not a quick fix to weight loss or diabetes control and must be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes.
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