Eli Lilly and Company has commended the action taken by the Haryana drug control authority in addressing counterfeit products falsely bearing the Mounjaro (tirzepatide) brand name that were recently seized in Gurugram, Haryana.
These seized counterfeit products were not manufactured by Lilly and did not originate from Lilly’s authorized and verified supply chain. Most of the counterfeit products identified have been recovered. In line with directions issued by the authority, the supply of genuine Lilly product through authorized distributors and licensed pharmacies continues without interruption, the company stated.
“We recognize the efforts of the Haryana regulatory authority in addressing counterfeit medicines and supporting measures aimed at protecting patient safety,” said Winselow Tucker, president and general manager, Eli Lilly and Company (India).
“Lilly takes any act of counterfeiting very seriously. Counterfeit products are not manufactured under approved quality controls and may pose significant risks to patient safety and public health. We will continue to take steps to protect patients from the risks of counterfeit and other unsafe products worldwide, including working with regulators and law enforcement. We urge patients to procure Lilly products only through authorised distributors or licensed pharmacies, and on a valid prescription. Further, we want to clarify that Lilly’s patented tirzepatide molecule is marketed in India under two brand names — Mounjaro and Yurpeak.”
Counterfeit products may look very similar to genuine Lilly medicines. Patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals are advised to remain vigilant.
Suspected counterfeit medicines may include – Products obtained from unauthorized or unlicensed sources; Packaging that appears tampered with or damaged; Missing batch number, expiry date, or manufacturer details; and Packaging that looks inconsistent with approved product packaging, including misspellings, unfamiliar logos, or different labels.
