Until law, GLP-1 drugs were used to treat diabetes, obesity and even the recent evidences suggest that it could as well be used to treat chronic kidney problems. There is yet another research, published in JAMA Psychiatry on February 25, titled Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial that explores if GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide reduce alcohol consumption and cravings in adults with alcohol use disorder.

What Do Studies Say?

The research was conducted over a period of 9 weeks, where in the randomized clinical trial, the participants who were administered semaglutide, it led to reductions in some but not all measures of weekly consumptions. It also reduced weekly alcohol and craving related to placebo, and also led to a greater relative reduction in cigarettes per day.

The research also found that weekly injections of semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in weight loss drugs like Wegovy also helped reduce cravings in people with alcohol use disorder.

The lead author Christian Hendershot said that these findings will help in developing new approaches to treat alcoholism. "Two drugs currently approved to reduce alcohol consumption aren't widely used. The popularity of Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonists increases the chances of broad adoption of these treatments for alcohol use disorder," said Hendershot in news release by the University of Southern California's Institute for Addiction Research, where he is the director.

The study is government-funded research and was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The study was small, and took in account for only 48 adults over two months, thus experts say that it is not yet clear how safe these drugs are for people who do not need to lose weight. Though the results do add up with the evidence form animal studies on drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy on how it helps manage cravings, not just for food, but also for tobacco and alcohol. Scientists are also studying these drugs on smokers, people with opioid addiction and cocaine users.

Co-author Dr Klara Klein of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who treats people with obesity and diabetes said, "This is such promising data. And we need more of it. We frequently will hear that once people start these medications that their desire to drink is very reduced, if not completely abolished."

Why Does It Work So Well Against Alcoholism?

The GLP-1 receptor agonists work by mimicking hormones GLP-1 in the gut and brain that regulates appetite and feelings of fullness. This response is what helps one lose weight, and what helps one curb their craving for alcohol. These drugs that mimic the functioning of your brain, which is responsible to tell your body when to stop consuming, are the same hormones that tell your body about other kinds of consumptions, including alcohol. Therefore by consuming the weight loss drugs one can treat alcohol use disorder.

However, the researchers have pointed out on the limited data on the research and have suggested to continue using the three approved drugs by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, namely, Disulfiram, Naltrexone, and Acamprosate to treat alcohol use disorder until large studies confirm these findings.

Ahead of the festive season, the Uttar Pradesh food safety and drug administration have tightened inspections of sweets, dairy products and other food items. According to latest reports, around 490 kg of sweets and 275 kg of paneer destroyed in Bareilly after officials found them unfit for consumption or being stored in unhygienic conditions.

The move comes as demand for sweets, khoya, milk and paneer increases around festivals including Raksha Bandhan, Barawafat (Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi) and Janmashtami.

490 Kg Of Sweets Destroyed In Bareilly

Four food safety teams conducted raids across Bareilly on August 24. During an inspection at Tirpal Ankur Sweets in Nadausi village, officials found sweets including kalakand, barfi, sohan papdi and rasgullas being prepared, handled, and stored in unhygienic conditions.

Assistant Commissioner (Food) Rahul Singh said samples were collected and sent to a laboratory for testing. Officials destroyed 140 kg of kalakand and 350 kg of barfi, together weighing around 490 kg and estimated to be worth Rs 1.70 lakh.

Samples were also collected from several other sweet shops, including peda, barfi, khoya and laddus. Further action will be taken depending on the laboratory results.

Also read: FSSAI Flags Food Firms For Misleading ‘100%’, ‘Energy Drink’, Immunity Claims

275 Kg Spoiled Paneer Seized And Destroyed

In a separate operation, food safety officials and police intercepted a food transport vehicle which was travelling from Badaun to Bareilly around midnight on August 23.

The team recovered approximately 275 kg of paneer, which officials said was in a highly deteriorated condition. They said it had been emitting a foul odour and had been stored unhygienically.

After collecting a sample, authorities seized and destroyed the entire batch, estimated to be worth around Rs 65,760.

The action comes amid similar food safety drives during festive season at other places in Uttar Pradesh.

In Noida, authorities recently seized and destroyed around 300 kg of paneer, citing it was unfit for consumption. Multiple samples of paneer, curd and sweets were sent for laboratory testing.

Also read: FSSAI Orders Halt Of Ghee Sales Amid Adulteration Crackdown: How To Spot Fake Ghee & Its Effects On Your Health

Why Are Unsafe Sweets And Paneer A Health Risk?

Poor hygiene and improper storage of food can allow harmful microorganisms to grow in food, especially in milk-based products like paneer, khoya and other sweets.

Eating contaminated food can cause food poisoning, with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and fever.

In some cases, particularly among young children, older adults and people with weakened immunity, severe infection can lead to dehydration and other serious complications.

Spoiled dairy products can also undergo deterioration on a microbe level, which can produce foul odour and harmful changes in texture and taste. But, appearance, taste or smell alone cannot reliably determine whether food is safe, which is why laboratory testing is important.

Also read: After Diageo, FSSAI Inspects Pernod Ricard Plant, Tests Whisky Samples

How Can Consumers Stay Safe During Festive Season?

As festive demand rises, consumers can reduce their risk by buying sweets and dairy products from licensed, reputable establishments and avoiding products that appear improperly stored or handled.

Fresh dairy-based sweets should be kept under appropriate temperature conditions, while packaged products should be checked for expiry dates, manufacturing details and storage instructions.

This comes amid a broader FSSAI action in which the food safety authority has been tightening rules against food establishments and brands that are in violation due to various misconducts. Recently, it ordered to stop the sale of all variants of ghee manufactured by Daman-based SDP Industries, after laboratory tests found signs of adulteration and violation of food safety standards.

The move came after an inspection conducted on May 19. FSSAI said multiple samples were found adulterated, with laboratory analysis detecting β-sitosterol, a plant sterol that should not be present in genuine ghee. The samples also contained abnormalities in fatty-acid composition.

The food regulator has prohibited the manufacture, storage and sale of the company’s ghee products from its authorised premises until further orders. The products include brands like SHRADDHA, SHREE SARAS and GOKUL.

Irish health authorities are warning people against using retatrutide, an experimental weight-loss drug that has led to multiple cases of hospitalisation after people obtained it outside legitimate clinical trials through unlawful sources.

The warning comes as demand for the drug has grown online, particularly through fitness networks. Despite retatrutide not yet being approved, the masses have been reported to obtain and administer it without medical supervision.

Ireland's Health Service Executive (HSE) has reported patients presenting with serious side effects after taking the drug, including severe vomiting and kidney problems.

Prof Donal O'Shea, HSE Clinical Lead for Obesity, said doctors are seeing patients who have taken retatrutide obtained through unofficial channels.

He said, "Personal trainers who have been giving these jabs give no advice about side effects and how to manage those side effects, leading to real problems".

He also warned that some people are choosing not to disclose this information to the healthcare professionals, which has been making it harder to identify the cause of their symptoms and administer appropriate treatment.

He added, “They are too embarrassed to say they are taking it, leaving us blindfolded when we are trying to come to a conclusion.”

Retatrutide Is An Unapproved Experimental Drug

Also read: Eli Lilly’s Foundayo Launched In UK: Is the GLP-1 Pill Better Than Wegovy, Mounjaro?

Retatrutide is currently being developed by Eli Lilly as a once-weekly injection. Unlike existing GLP-1 medicines like semaglutide and tirzepatide, it simultaneously targets three hormone pathways --- GLP-1, GIP and glucagon. The combination is developed to target appetite, blood sugar regulation and energy metabolism simultaneuously.

Lilly's latest Phase 3 results have shown substantial weight loss. In one trial involving people with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes, participants receiving the highest studied dose lost an average of 20.8% of their body weight after 80 weeks.

Another Phase 3 trial reported average weight loss of up to 22.6% after 80 weeks in people with severe obesity and cardiovascular disease.

But promising results do not mean the medicine is ready for unrestricted use, especially before clearance. Its unapproved status indicates that researchers are still examining the drug for potential side-effects and other complications.

Lilly says retatrutide remains an investigational medicine and is legally available only to participants in its clinical trials. The company plans to submit it to the FDA in the first quarter of 2027.

Why Are People Being Hospitalised?

Also read: Ideal Time to Undergo Fertility Treatment for Women Taking GLP-1 Weight-Loss Medications

The Irish warning is particularly concerning as people obtaining retatrutide outside clinical trials may not have an idea about what they are actually injecting, how concentrated the drug is or whether it has been manufactured and stored safely.

Prof O'Shea highlighted cases involving nausea, vomiting and kidney problems. He said, "We had somebody in at the weekend who was getting. Retatrutide twice a week in the gym they go to from their personal trainer and they were in hospital with vomiting and kidney disease. That’s going to happen widescale if people are taking this drug."

Severe vomiting can itself become dangerous because prolonged fluid loss can cause dehydration and acute kidney injury, particularly when someone is unable to keep fluids down.

Growing Concern Of Black Markets

Retatrutide's impressive weight-loss results have fuelled demand for it even though it has not been approved by the FDA. Recent reports spark concerns of a growing black market for the drug, with products being promoted through social media, online sellers, fitness communities and some unregulated clinics. Eli Lilly has taken legal action against companies accused of selling unauthorised retatrutide products.

This is particularly concerning because buyers may mistake a product marketed as “research use only” for a medicine that is safe for human injection. The HSE is urging people not to use retatrutide obtained outside a legitimate clinical trial.

Anyone experiencing severe vomiting, abdominal symptoms, weakness, reduced urination or other concerning symptoms after taking an unapproved weight-loss injection should seek medical attention and tell doctors exactly what they have taken.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has flagged misleading claims by food business operators (FBOs) on products including coconut oil, energy drinks and baby food.

The claims include “100%” on coconut oil and “Energy Drink” on a caffeinated beverage, as well as claims around immunity, growth, digestion and nutrition in baby food. The regulator also flagged health and nutrient-comparison claims.

Companies Take Corrective Action

In a social media post, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said that “major food business operators (FBOs) have taken prompt corrective action” following notices issued by the regulator.

The corrective measures include withdrawing misleading label claims and revising product packaging.

Companies Flagged

Also read: FSSAI Orders Halt Of Ghee Sales Amid Adulteration Crackdown: How To Spot Fake Ghee & Its Effects On Your Health

Mondelez India

Mondelez India Foods Pvt Ltd was flagged over misleading health and nutrient-comparative claims. It subsequently withdrew the claims and advertisements from e-commerce platforms.

Sapiens Labs

Sapiens Labs was flagged over a misleading claim and, after submitting its response, withdrew the claim and advertisements.

Vichi Agro

Vichi Agro Products Pvt Ltd, along with the concerned packer, was flagged over a misleading trade name and deleted the product from its platform.

Amway India

Amway India Enterprises Pvt Ltd, Delhi, was flagged over the use of “100%” in the name “100% Pure Coconut Oil”. The company said it had voluntarily removed the term from packaging and promotional material and discontinued old stock from sales channels.

Revised packaging without the claim has been finalized and is being rolled out progressively from September to October 2026.

Amway India was also flagged separately over the use of the term “Energy Drink” on a caffeinated beverage.

The company accepted the observation and removed the term from its product range, website and promotional material. Updated packaging is to be introduced from the production cycle beginning August 2026.

Juza Foods

Kerala-based Juza Foods was flagged over multiple claims for its baby food products. These included claims relating to nutrition, immunity, growth, digestion and nutrient content, besides comparisons with other milk powders.

The company acknowledged the violations and agreed to remove the misleading claims.

It also said its selling website had been shut and rectification completed, while steps were being taken for license-related changes and an e-commerce license.

FSSAI Issues More Than 150 Notices

Read More: After Diageo, FSSAI Inspects Pernod Ricard Plant, Tests Whisky Samples

The action is part of a wider drive in which FSSAI has issued more than 150 notices to food companies over misleading advertisements, false claims and labelling violations.

Nestlé India, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola India, Abbott India, Red Bull India, Danone India, Monster Energy India, Ferrero India and Kenvue are among the companies named by the regulator.

FSSAI has also widened enforcement to e-commerce platforms and food-service establishments, issuing 12 notices to e-commerce companies and more than 30 to food-service establishments, including major restaurant chains.

The regulator’s latest action underlines its focus on ensuring that food claims are substantiated and do not mislead consumers. The challenge, however, will be to ensure sustained compliance after companies withdraw or modify the claims.