The Super Bowl ad featuring a new set of weight loss drugs raised more than a few eyebrows among members of the public health community — not least because the products aren’t approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Telehealth startup Hims & Hers is promoting its latest addition to a suite of health care and lifestyle products: a compounded version of popular weight loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic. The company is marketing the product as a cheaper alternative to the pair of drugs, which are currently in short supply.
In the process, the company slams what it says is a “broken” health care system designed to keep patients “sick and stuck.”
The ad prompted backlash from experts, advocates and politicians, who pointed to its deceptive marketing tactics — chiefly, that it is devoid of any side effects, risks or safety information typically disclosed by pharmaceutical companies as required by law.
Elizabeth Glowacki, an assistant teaching professor at Northeastern University, who focuses on health communication, message design, persuasion and mobile health, echoes much of that criticism. She says the ad also creates the impression that patients don’t need to consult with a health care professional when making decisions about products effectively designed as medications.
