Call for food-first public health strategy: Government urged to reconsider subsidies for obesity drugs

By A Representative

Dr. Arun Gupta, Central Coordinator of the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) and Convener of Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi), has written to Shri Amit Agrawal, Secretary at the Department of Pharmaceuticals, urging the Government of India to reconsider proposed subsidies for anti-obesity drugs under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.

In his letter, Dr. Gupta expressed concern that such incentives could shift focus from preventive approaches to a pharmaceutical-dependent model of obesity management. Citing his recent op-ed in The Economic Times titled “Burning Fat or Feeding Pharma?”, he emphasized that the root causes of obesity—such as ultra-processed foods, marketing practices, and poor access to nutritious food—require systemic, food-based solutions.

“Subsidizing obesity drugs risks legitimizing drug use for a dietary crisis and could lead to corporate capture of public health agendas,” Dr. Gupta warned. He instead recommended greater investments in affordable whole foods, breastfeeding promotion, and public nutrition education.

The letter has been copied to key government stakeholders including the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Chief Economic Adviser, and the Directors General of ICMR and NIN.

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