The weight loss industry has long been plagued by quick-fix solutions, but things have taken a dangerous turn.

Pharmaceutical companies are now marketing diabetes injections as a weight loss solution, despite the serious health risks and the ongoing shortage of diabetes medication. One of the most concerning examples?

Eva Pharma’s push for Mounjaro, a diabetes injection that was suddenly rebranded as a weight loss miracle—despite originally being promoted for diabetic patients.

From Diabetes Treatment to Weight Loss Hype: Eva Pharma’s Contradiction

In December 2024, Eva Pharma announced its plans to develop insulin products to help diabetic patients, stating their goal was to improve accessibility for those in need. But just months later, the same company launched a major campaign promoting Mounjaro for weight loss instead.

This shift is not just misleading—it’s dangerous.

There is already a global shortage of diabetes medications, as these injections have become trendy for weight loss. Diabetic patients are struggling to access their necessary treatments, while pharmaceutical companies actively encourage non-diabetics to misuse them.

The Celebrity Endorsement Problem: Misleading the Public

A key part of Eva Pharma’s marketing strategy was hiring actress Elham Shahin as the face of Mounjaro. The issue? Shahin had already spoken out earlier in 2024, warning about the dangers of weight loss injections.

In an interview on Radio 90 90, she admitted to trying multiple weight loss medications that made her ill and even stated:

“It’s not right for someone to take diabetes injections when they don’t have diabetes.”

Moreover, Shahin was also on CBC earlier this year, talking about the danger of weight loss injections and how only doctors should prescribe them, unlike the over-the-counter approach the promotional event was trying to convey.

Yet, just months later, she was promoting Mounjaro, claiming it helped her lose weight, brushes off the danger, and doesn’t mention any need for doctors to use them.

To make matters worse, while she did briefly mention potential risks, she brushed them off as only being dangerous when used long-term rather than acknowledging the immediate risks of using these injections without a prescription. Moreover, she proceeded to give medical advice, despite, as far as we know, having zero medical qualifications.

When public figures promote medical products irresponsibly, they mislead audiences into thinking these injections are safe for casual use—when, in reality, they come with serious health risks.

This type of endorsement isn’t just inconsistent—it’s deceptive.

The Media’s Role: Selling Credibility for a Check

The controversy doesn’t stop with the brand or the celebrity—it extends to media platforms that accepted payment to promote Mounjaro without questioning its safety. Even more shameful is that this happened during Ramadan, a time when ethical responsibility should be at the forefront.

Now, we did not attend the event, so we can’t say with certainty how Eva Pharma presented the product in all instances. However, what we do know is how the media covered it.

In paid coverage, brands—like Eva Pharma in this case—must approve how things are phrased before publication.

And what was published? The message was clear: anyone can inject themselves with this and lose weight.

Rather than investigating the risks of the drug, its actual medical use, or its impact on diabetics, some media outlets glorified it as a weight loss breakthrough. When media prioritizes profit over public health, they are no longer serving the public—they are endangering it.

Government Response: A Warning from the Egyptian Drug Authority

The Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) quickly intervened, issuing a formal warning to Eva Pharma for misleading promotional claims. The EDA also flagged serious health risks, including reports of gastric paralysis, and warned that unregulated and potentially counterfeit versions of Mounjaro were already circulating in the market.

Following this, Eva Pharma was ordered to correct its messaging or face penalties.

The government’s intervention highlights the need for stricter regulations to prevent pharmaceutical companies from misusing medical treatments for profit.

Who Is Held Accountable?

This issue isn’t just about one brand or one celebrity endorsement—it’s a systemic problem where:

• Pharmaceutical companies prioritize profits over public health, rebranding diabetes medication for weight loss despite known dangers.
• Celebrities and influencers lend their credibility to products without transparency, misleading audiences.
• Media outlets choose advertising money over ethical journalism, failing to inform the public about potential health risks.

Weight loss should never come at the cost of deception, misinformation, and putting vulnerable patients at risk. It’s time for stricter regulations, ethical marketing practices, and media accountability to ensure public health is not compromised for corporate gain.