HIMS & Hers Faces Scrutiny from Senators on Super Bowl Ad that ‘Risks Misleading’ Patients

Hims & Hers is facing scrutiny from lawmakers Over an advertisement for its weight loss offers that’S slaged to run during the super bowl on Sunday.

Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Till., And Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Wrote a letter to the US food and Drug Administration on Friday Expressing Concerns Over An “Upcoming Advertisement” FETY or Side Effect Information When promoting a specific type of weight loss medicine. “

The Hims & Hers Ad, which the company Released online In late January, is called “Sick of the system” and sharply criticizes the $ 160 billion weight loss industry. It shows visuals of existing weight loss medicines knowledge as GLP-1s, Including Injection Pens That Look Like Novo Nordisk’s Blockbuster diabetes drug ozempic.

The ad claims those drugs are “priced for rights, not patients” and points to Hims & Hers’ Weight Loss Medications as “Affordable” and “Doctor-TRUSTED” Alternatives.

“We are complete existing law and are happy to continue working with Congress and the new administration to fix the broken health system and ensure that patints have founds for qualiness, safe, Re, “A Hims & Hers Spekesperson Told CNBC in A Statement.

The Senators do not mention Hims & hers by name in his letter, but they do reference some of the visuals in the ad, include “imagery of an injection pen with distinctive characteristics Reflective Characteristics of an existing flag-nam

“Nowere in this promotion is there any side effect disclosure, risk, or safety information as would be typically required in a Pharmaceutical Advertisement,” The Senators Wrote. “Further, for only three seconds during the minute-long commercial does the screen flash in small, barely legible font, that these products are not fda -pproved.”

Hims & Hers Began Offering Compounded semaglutide Through its platform in May after launching a new weight loss program in late 2023. Semaglutide is the active ingredient in ozampic and wegovy, wegovy, which can each cost Around $ 1,000 a month with this.

Shares of Hims & Hers jumped More than 170% last year, thanks to Soaring Demand for GLP-1s. They rose another 8% on Friday, Lifting the company’s market cap to about $ 9.5 billion.

Compounded GLP-1s are typically much cheaper and can serve as an alternative for patients who are navigating complex supply Hurdles and Spotty Insurance Coverage. Hims & hers sels compounded semaglutide for under $ 200 a month.

The FDA does not review the safety and efficacy of compounded products, which are custom-made alternatives to brand-name drugs designed to meet a specific passage’s Needs. Compounded products can also be produced when brand-names are in shortage,

Semaglutide is currently in shortage, according to the FDA,

Durbin and Marshall Said Advertisements for Brand-Name GLP-1 Medications Include “Significant Risk Disclosures to Patints about Side Side Effects and Contraindications, Including Pancreas, vomiting, diarrhea, and other implications. “

A release on Durbin’s website say that the ad in question appears to exploit a loophole “Regarding promotions of compounded drugs by telehealth companies.”

The senators said they believe the FDA may have the authority to take enforcement actions against the marketing that the cold Mislead Patients, and they plan to introduce new legues to the address.

Watch: New Study Reveals Why Patients Stop Taking GLP-1 Obesity Drugs