Hims & Hers Withdraws Copycat Weight Loss Pill After Legal Threats
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Him and him announced Saturday that it would withdraw its counterfeit weight loss pill from the market after sparking controversy and threats of legal action earlier in the week.
“Since launching the compounded semaglutide pill on our platform, we have had constructive conversations with stakeholders across the industry,” the telemedicine provider posted on social media. “For this reason, we have decided to no longer offer access to this treatment. We remain committed to serving the millions of Americans who rely on us for access to safe, affordable and personalized care.”
Hims & Hers had previously announced that it would create a cheaper copycat version of the pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisks Wegovy weight loss pill. This treatment – with Wegovy’s active ingredient semaglutide – was expected to hit the market for just $49 in the first month. Novo’s pill costs about $100 more.
Novo on Thursday threatened legal action against Hims for “illegal mass interest earning,” adding that the company planned to take legal and regulatory action.
“This is another example of Hims & Hers’ historic behavior of deceiving the American public with counterfeit GLP-1 products, and the FDA has previously warned them about their misleading advertising of GLP-1 copycat products,” Novo said in a statement at the time.
On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration spoke out and announced it would take legal action against Hims & Hers over the pill, including restricting access to the ingredients and referring the company to the Justice Department.
In response, Hims said Saturday that the company “has always been committed to the safety and best interests of consumers and has complied with applicable laws.”
The move comes as the company plans to run an ad during Super Bowl 60 on Sunday. In the ad, rapper Common expresses the message: “America’s wealth gap has turned into a health gap.”
Hims previously said he expected the ad to “cause some unrest.”
