Hims was flagged for misleading claims about compounded Ozempic\/Wegovy<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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WEDNESDAY, Sept. 17, 2025 (HealthDay News) \u2014 Federal health officials are cracking down on telehealth companies\u2019 promotion of unapproved versions of prescription drugs, including popular weight loss medications.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released more than 100 warning letters aimed at both drugmakers and online health companies. Among them: Hims & Hers<\/a>, a telehealth platform that has made a name by selling lower-cost versions of well-known drugs, The Associated Press<\/em> said.<\/p>\n The agency said Hims crossed the line by telling customers its compounded products contained \u201cthe same active ingredient\u201d as Ozempic<\/a> and Wegovy<\/a>, even though Hims\u2019 versions are mixed by compounding pharmacies and never reviewed by the FDA.<\/p>\n \u201cYour claims imply that your products are the same as an FDA-approved product when they are not,\u201d the warning letter said.<\/p>\n In response, Hims said it told consumers that compounded medicines aren\u2019t FDA-approved and that it \u201clooks forward to engaging\u201d with the agency.<\/p>\n Compounding<\/a> is the process of combining, mixing or altering ingredients to create a medication tailored to a patient\u2019s needs, according to the National Library of Medicine.<\/p>\n This is the first time the FDA has targeted online platforms such as Hims directly. The company has long argued that traditional drug advertising rules don\u2019t apply to them. <\/p>\n The move follows an order from President Donald Trump<\/a> directing federal agencies to ensure drug ads on TV and social media are accurate.<\/p>\n The agency\u2019s concerns go beyond Hims. Regulators also sent letters to Eli Lilly<\/a> and Novo Nordisk<\/a>, criticizing a 2024 infomercial with Oprah Winfrey that the FDA said gave a \u201cmisleading impression\u201d of weight loss injections such as Wegovy and Zepbound<\/a>, The AP <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n While compounding drugs is sometimes allowed when FDA-approved versions are scarce, regulators recently said these drugs no longer qualify as in shortage.<\/p>\n Despite that, some companies continue selling \u201ccustomized\u201d doses. Hims has defended this, because it is potentially beneficial for certain patients.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n Learn more about the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s drug advertisement reforms<\/a>.<\/p>\n