Hims & Hers, a telehealth firm, is facing backlash over its 60-second Super Bowl ad promoting a compounded weight loss drug. The company’s ad has drawn criticism from two US senators and a national pharmaceutical industry group, who say the company failed to properly disclose potential side effects.
The Hims & Hers ad highlights the health risks of obesity and casts the company as an antidote to big corporations keeping weight loss drugs out of reach to many people. However, it lacks proper safety information for patients.
US Senators Dick Durbin and Roger Marshall have written to the acting head of the FDA, stating that the commercial “risks misleading patients by omitting any safety or side effect information.” They plan to introduce a bipartisan bill to close a regulatory loophole in pharmaceutical advertising.
The ad’s tone has also been criticized by health experts, who say it is too aggressive and aims to exploit the financial situation of those struggling with obesity. However, an industry group defending Hims & Hers said that the ad “generally complies with federal law” and best practices for marketing compounded drugs.
This controversy follows recent backlash against Hims & Hers over a $1 million donation to President Trump’s inaugural committee. The company has defended the donation, saying it aims to push for meaningful progress in healthcare reform.
Source: https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/hims-hers-super-bowl-ad-20155177.php