A recent commercial during the Super Bowl is sparking controversy over its claims about weight-loss medications offered by the telehealth company Hims & Hers. The ad makes lofty claims about the effectiveness of these medications, but it has raised concerns among health experts and lawmakers about the risks associated with them.
The ad features a scale and a narrator lamenting the nation’s obesity crisis, claiming that “the system” is designed to keep people sick and stuck. It then pitches Hims & Hers’ weight-loss drugs as a “life-changing” solution, stating that they can be more affordable than brand-name medications.
However, health experts and lawmakers are warning that these medications may pose risks to consumers, particularly since they haven’t undergone the traditional approval process designed to safeguard against those risks. Two senators, Richard Durbin and Roger Marshall, have sent a letter to the FDA expressing their concerns over the ad’s lack of side-effect disclosure and risk information.
The Partnership for Safe Medicines, a coalition of non-profit organizations, has also called the ad “dangerous” and warned that it only discloses the medications are compounded briefly and in small font. The organization is urging Fox Corporation to withdraw the ad.
Some experts argue that Hims & Hers’ marketing tactics are misleading, suggesting that the company’s weight-loss program is standing up to the industry rather than being a part of it. Others point out that the company profits from prescribing obesity medications, which raises questions about its motives.
Despite these concerns, Hims & Hers has maintained that it is complying with existing laws and is committed to providing safe and affordable healthcare options for patients. However, some experts argue that the lack of transparency in the ad’s claims highlights a broader issue with the way these medications are being marketed and regulated.
The ad has sparked a heated debate among health experts and lawmakers, raising questions about the safety and efficacy of compounded weight-loss medications and the role of telehealth companies like Hims & Hers in promoting them.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/well/hims-hers-health-super-bowl-ad.html