Do you need a prescription for GLP-1 medicines in India?
Yes. GLP-1 medicines such as Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) are prescription-only in India. A government statement of 1 April 2026 says they cannot be bought over the counter. It says only endocrinologists, internal-medicine specialists and cardiologists can prescribe them. Sellers who break the rules face licence cancellation, fines and legal action.
Which doctors can prescribe a GLP-1 in India?
A government statement on 1 Apr 2026 said only endocrinologists, internal-medicine specialists and cardiologists can prescribe a GLP‑1 such as Mounjaro (tirzepatide).1
A Health Ministry statement, as reported by All India Radio on 24 March 2026, put it a little differently. It said the drug was approved on condition of a prescription by endocrinologists and internal-medicine specialists. Cardiologists were named only "for some indications".2
An expert committee of the drug regulator (CDSCO) used similar wording. In 2023 it said tirzepatide (Mounjaro) "should be sold by retail under prescription of Endocrinologist or internal medicine specialists only".3 For two Novo Nordisk semaglutide products, the approved warning reads "To be sold by retail on the prescription of an Endocrinologist, and Internal medicine".4
These are committee minutes for named products. The 2025 minutes approving generic semaglutide (9 Oct and 9 Dec 2025) set no prescriber condition.9,10 We found no published rule covering every GLP-1 brand, or on prescriptions from a GP (MBBS doctor). Guide 6 covers GPs, online doctors and AYUSH doctors; Who can prescribe GLP-1 medicines? has every minute.
Tablets need a prescription too. The 1 April statement covers GLP‑1 drugs as a group. Most are injection pens, but oral semaglutide is a tablet.1 In India it is sold as Rybelsus, approved for type 2 diabetes.8 See What is Rybelsus 3 mg used for?
Are GLP-1 medicines Schedule H drugs?
Indian pharmacies list them as Schedule H, but we could not find semaglutide or tirzepatide named in the official Schedule H list.
Schedule H is the government's list of prescription medicines. Under Rule 65, a chemist may sell a Schedule H medicine only on a registered doctor's prescription.5 Its pack must carry "Rx" and a warning against selling it without one.5
A large online pharmacy says all GLP-1 medicines in India are Schedule H.7 We searched CDSCO's copy of the Drugs Rules, updated to 1 July 2024. Its Schedule H list does not name semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide or dulaglutide.5 The documents we found behind their prescription-only status are the committee conditions and government statements above. We found no gazette rule.1,3,4
Can you get a GLP-1 prescription online?
Yes, India's 2020 telemedicine guidelines let a doctor prescribe online, but they set out categories of medicine, not a drug-by-drug list.6
The guidelines say the categories "will be as notified in consultation with the Central Government from time to time".6 They name no GLP‑1. The 1 April 2026 statement makes no exception for online visits. The prescriber still has to be one of the three specialists it names.1 The four categories are:
- List O: any kind of visit, even chat or phone. Simple medicines such as paracetamol.6
- List A: a first visit only by video, plus refills. Refills for diabetes are one example.6
- List B: follow-up visits only. Add-on medicines for a condition already treated in person.6
- Prohibited: never online. Schedule X medicines and narcotics.6
A follow-up means you saw that doctor in person within the last 6 months, for the same condition.6 The doctor must show their registration number on the prescription.6 Are online GLP-1 prescriptions valid in India?
Can a chemist or website sell GLP-1s without a prescription?
The government says GLP‑1s cannot be sold over the counter, and it treats unauthorised sale as a violation.1
In the weeks before 1 April 2026, officials inspected 49 businesses. They included online pharmacy warehouses, wholesalers, retailers and weight-loss clinics.1 The checks looked for unauthorised sale, improper prescribing and misleading marketing.1 Those found breaking the rules got notices, and sellers face licence cancellation, fines and legal action.1
The government's stated reason is safety: their side effects mean they need a registered doctor's supervision.1 Guide 5 lists them.
Read the full picture
Related questions
Sources
- PIB Research (Government of India). GLP-1 drugs: use, risks, and regulation. 1 Apr 2026. Key takeaways; "Regulation of GLP-1 drugs"; Conclusion. static.pib.gov.in
- News On AIR (All India Radio). India tightens surveillance on GLP-1 weight loss drug sales. 24 Mar 2026. newsonair.gov.in
- CDSCO. Recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), 100th meeting, 20–21 Apr 2023. Item 1, tirzepatide (Eli Lilly). cdsco.gov.in · archived copy
- CDSCO. Recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), 13–14 Feb 2024. Items 3–4, semaglutide (Novo Nordisk). cdsco.gov.in · archived copy
- CDSCO. The Drugs Rules, 1945, compiled as amended to 1 Jul 2024. Rule 65(9)(a), p. 47; Rule 97, p. 113; Schedule H, pp. 502–510. cdsco.gov.in · archived copy
- Board of Governors in supersession of the Medical Council of India. Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, 25 Mar 2020. Sections 3.2.5, 3.7.4 (medicine lists) and 4.1.2.1. esanjeevani.mohfw.gov.in
- PharmEasy. GLP-1 comparison page, "Do I need a prescription to buy any of them?", checked 5 Oct 2026. A pharmacy page, so we don't link it.
- Medical Dialogues. Novo Nordisk gets CDSCO panel nod for Rybelsus label update aligned with EMA. 10 Sep 2025. medicaldialogues.in
- CDSCO. Recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), 9 Oct 2025. Items 6 and 8, semaglutide injection (Alkem; Sun Pharma). PDF · archived copy
- CDSCO. Recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), 9 Dec 2025. Items 4–7, semaglutide (Sun Pharma, Alkem, Zydus). PDF · archived copy
Last checked 5 Oct 2026 · Next review due 6 Apr 2027 · Report an error
How this answer was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It's general information, not medical or legal advice. Talk to a qualified doctor before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write