Paris (France) (AFP) – The French authorities announced this Monday the imposition of a fine of 2 million euros (2.34 million dollars) against the pharmaceutical laboratories Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly after the dissemination of advertising about obesity.

First modification: 05/04/2026 - 13:55 Last modification: 05/05/2026 - 03:09

The National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM), a public body in charge of evaluating the risks and effectiveness of these products in France, focused its decision on advertising disseminated to the general public on social networks, posters, the press, etc.

These campaigns are "susceptible to misleading the public in a context marked by strong mediatization and increasing misuse of GLP-1 analogues (aGLP-1), especially for weight loss purposes for aesthetic reasons," he underlines.

The health authority imposed a global fine of more than 1.78 million euros on Novo Nordisk France for advertisements about its medicines Saxenda and Wegovy, used in the treatment of obesity.

The ANSM also fined Eli Lilly France 108,766 euros for a campaign that promoted its Mounjaro anti-obesity specialty to the public.

French legislation prohibits the advertising of medicines subject to mandatory medical prescription, the agency recalls.

Novo Nordisk France told AFP that it "firmly rejects" the agency's decision and is considering appealing it.

For its part, Eli Lilly France said it took note of the decision and considered that its awareness campaign broadcast in April 2025 was "in accordance with the framework applicable to communications related to human health."

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