French Regulator Fines Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly for Weight Loss Drug Advertising Violations

France's National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety fined Novo Nordisk approximately $2 million on May 4, 2026, for misleading advertisements for Wegovy and Saxenda. The agency also fined Eli Lilly roughly $127,000 for advertising Mounjaro that amounted to indirect promotion of a prescription medicine.

These actions reflect concerns raised two years ago in a bulletin from the regulator about risks associated with weight loss drugs, especially inappropriate use.

U.S. with a three-month head start on Eli Lilly's product. Eli Lilly launched its oral drug Foundayo, which has a different active ingredient than its Zepbound shot.

Even though Zepbound launched two years after Wegovy. Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar spoke to CNBC in March, addressing concerns about the Wegovy pill needing to be taken first thing in the morning without food and with little water. S.

Operations, gave an interview in March. Novo Nordisk stated that many initial users of the Wegovy pill were taking the lowest starter dose, and the company is watching how many patients move to the highest doses over the coming months. Michael Botta, president and co-founder of telehealth platform Sesame, said people are choosing GLP-1 pills 'by a huge factor' more than shots.

Botta attributed the preference for GLP-1 pills to their lower price versus shots and greater comfort with oral drugs. He also said more men are 'definitely' starting the medications than before, though women still make up a majority of new patients. Lilly executives spoke last week to reassure investors that introducing Foundayo to doctors and patients will take time.

More than 20,000 people have started taking Foundayo in the first few weeks of its launch, with more than 1,000 people starting every day. Dave Ricks spoke to CNBC following Eli Lilly's first-quarter earnings report, stating that 80% of patients starting Foundayo are new to GLP-1 drugs. Ricks said Eli Lilly has not started widely advertising Foundayo on TV.

He added, 'So what we're seeing now is organic demand, which is really strong to us,' and noted that Eli Lilly still needs to build consumer awareness around Foundayo. Eli Lilly plans to introduce Foundayo in other countries later in 2026. S.

The European Medicines Agency is expected to approve the Wegovy pill later in 2026. S. this week. Novo Nordisk issued a forecast in February that sales and profits will both decline by 5% to 13% in 2026.

Eli Lilly hiked its full-year sales forecast on strength across its GLP-1 business.