As further proof, Wegovy’s manufacturer Novo Nordisk – which produces diabetes drug Ozempic, the active ingredient in Wegovy – recently announced the end Telehealth company Hims & Hers. This decision comes amidst escalating tensions over clinical standards and patient choice for an injectable, prescription-only, oral-weight-loss-injectable medication. As a result, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved this medication to help those who are battling obesity or people with a BMI of 27 or more who have additional cardiovascular hazards.
Wegovy has the active ingredient semaglutide, which has made waves since its approval. As a consequence, shortages began to appear in 2022. Recently, Novo Nordisk announced that it’s now able to fulfill the increased demand for the drug. Wegovy’s shortages are officially over, according to the FDA, which has taken it off the agency’s list of shortages. A federal judge in Texas agreed. Without this ruling, it would open the floodgates for compounding pharmacies to make their own versions of Wegovy and Ozempic.
Dudum shared that the company’s commercial team forced Hims & Hers to stick to overly strict clinical standards. Then on top of everything, they steered patients explicitly too, to Wegovy. In his resignation announcement, he laid down his firm that Hims & Hers would not succumb to anticompetitive pressure. In so doing, these demands undermine the autonomy and clinical judgement of healthcare providers.
“We are disappointed to see Novo Nordisk management misleading the public. In recent weeks, Novo Nordisk’s commercial team increasingly pressured us to control clinical standards and steer patients to Wegovy regardless of whether it was clinically best for patients. We refuse to be strong-armed by any pharmaceutical company’s anticompetitive demands that infringe on the independent decision making of providers and limit patient choice,” – Andrew Dudum
Through these actions, Hims & Hers has consistently restated their dedication to fostering patient’s health and respecting their autonomy to make informed decisions on treatments. The company has further committed to only working with telehealth providers who align with its commitment to patient safety and promoting equitable access to care. Dudum reiterated that Hims & Hers will continue to offer other non-prescription treatments. This will be with Wegovy as well because patients can have a variety of needs and patients have different needs.
In the wake of that controversy, Dave Moore did something. He, the Executive Vice President of U.S. Operations at Novo Nordisk, offered a strong defense of the company’s position. He stated that protecting patients living with obesity remains a top priority for Novo Nordisk. Moore stressed that patients should only receive genuine, FDA-approved Wegovy prescriptions from licensed healthcare providers—including telehealth professionals—who can offer expert counsel.
“Novo Nordisk is firm on our position and protecting patients living with obesity. When patients are prescribed semaglutide treatments by their licensed healthcare professional or a telehealth provider, they are entitled to receive authentic, FDA-approved and regulated Wegovy,” – Dave Moore
The end of this partnership opens critical questions about the future distribution of Wegovy. It raises alarm about how this will affect continuity of patient care. Hims & Hers takes the protection of the public health seriously. Just as important, they will aggressively enforce against any companies that enter the compounding space in violation of Federal law.
