In a major policy update for millions of government employees and pensioners, the high-demand weight-loss and diabetes management injections Mounjaro and Ozempic have been cleared for inclusion under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS).
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has formally approved injection Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) and Semaglutide (Ozempic) after a thorough review by medical professionals. These new GLP-1 receptor agonist therapies will be prescribed under CGHS and Central Services (Medical Attendance) Rules, 1944. But access will not be open-ended; prescriptions will be strictly regulated according to specific guidelines, contraindications, and pre-determined clinical eligibility criteria.
Strict implementation and monitoring. The Ministry has appointed additional directors at CGHS Wellness Centres and empanelled healthcare facilities to follow the new regulatory guidelines rigorously. Any deviation from the stated protocol will be taken seriously and the new requirements will be put into practice immediately. These therapies need to meet specific clinical benchmarks and only designated prescribing authorities have to prescribe them according to the guidelines.
The decision comes at a time when global and domestic demand for GLP-1 medications has skyrocketed. Originally developed for Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus management, drugs like Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Ozempic (semaglutide) have revolutionised modern medicine because of their potent metabolic benefits. By mimicking the gut hormones that normally control blood sugar and appetite, clinical trials have shown remarkable success, with tirzepatide delivering an average weight loss margin of 15% to 20% and semaglutide of 10% to 15%.
Balancing Access, Cost, and Safety. In India, the appetite for these advanced therapies has soared since their market launch and the GLP-1 sector is one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical segments in India. Industry metrics suggest that the domestic market has passed the ₹1,000-crore mark and that even more growth is expected.
Despite their therapeutic merits, the immense popularity has caused major concerns at health institutions about indiscriminate off-label prescriptions, the cost burden on public health services, and the need for continuous long-term safety monitoring. The Ministry of Health wants to find a balance between genuine patient access and good clinical governance by placing Mounjaro and Ozempic on a regulated restricted list with specific criteria.
