Pharmaceutical companies including Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and Innovent Biologics are conducting public obesity awareness campaigns in China to reach potential customers for their GLP-1 weight-loss injections. Because Chinese law prohibits the direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines, these firms are using metro stations, soccer stadiums, and exercise studios to provide general health information and recommend that the public consult doctors.
These communication efforts occur as China’s National Health Commission estimates the rate of overweight or obese people in the country could exceed 65% by 2030. According to J.P. Morgan, the Chinese market for GLP-1 weight-management therapies is currently valued at 3 billion to 4 billion yuan ($418 million to $557 million) and could reach 30 billion yuan ($4.2 billion) within the next five to seven years.
The campaigns include banners from Eli Lilly in Shanghai metro stations advising commuters to monitor snoring, a symptom of sleep apnea that the company's drug Mounjaro has been shown to treat. Innovent Biologics and Meituan have displayed subway ads regarding fatty liver disease, while Pfizer partnered with the gym chain Supermonkey for "healthy weight loss" events. Hospital staff in Shanghai and Guangzhou reported that social media and peer recommendations have led some patients to request specific brands like Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Xinermei by name.
The scale of the market is expected to grow tenfold, from approximately 3.5 billion yuan to 30 billion yuan over the next seven years. This translates to a significant increase in domestic pharmaceutical spending and indicates a shift in how chronic conditions are managed in China. Legal and medical experts, such as Chen Zhenggang of DeHeng Law Offices, note that these campaigns test the boundaries of Chinese advertising law. If regulators determine these efforts cross into prohibited prescription drug advertising, it could lead to stricter enforcement or the suspension of campaigns, similar to a recent pause of Eli Lilly’s awareness activities in India following regulatory scrutiny.
What happens next involves the ongoing entry of new products and the response of Chinese market regulators. Novo Nordisk launched the first once-weekly GLP-1 for weight management in China in late 2024, followed by Eli Lilly and Innovent in 2025, and Pfizer in April 2026. While China's market regulator has not yet responded to requests for comment on these specific campaigns, the legal precedent set by these "stealth ads" will determine how pharmaceutical companies communicate with the public as the 2030 health targets approach.