Health experts have raised concerns that pharmaceutical companies behind some of the world’s biggest weight-loss drugs are finding ways around Australia’s ban on advertising prescription medicines directly to the public.

Campaigns from Eli Lilly, which manufactures Mounjaro, and Novo Nordisk, the company behind Wegovy, focus on obesity and the difficulties of losing weight through diet and exercise.

The ads don’t name or show prescription drugs, instead encouraging Australians to speak to a doctor about their weight.

However, University of Sydney Professor of Pharmaceutical Policy Barbara Mintzes claims the campaigns are a way of “skirting the law”, arguing they are ultimately designed to increase sales.

Royal Australian College of GPs president Dr Michael Wright said decisions around medication should be based on individual patient needs and not influenced by commercial marketing.

Both pharmaceutical companies reject the criticism.

Novo Nordisk said its advertising was an “unbranded disease awareness campaign”, while Eli Lilly described its campaign as a “disease awareness initiative”.

The two companies maintain their ads do not promote specific prescription medicines and comply with Australian laws.

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