Super Bowl Ads Spark Controversy Over Health Claims, Regulatory Concerns

The upcoming Super Bowl ad from telehealth company Hims & Hers has ignited controversy by criticizing the U.S. food and healthcare systems while promoting its weight-loss drugs. The ad claims that the weight loss industry fails Americans and highlights obesity as a significant health crisis, stating, 'The system wasn’t built to help us. It was designed to keep us sick & stuck.' However, it has faced backlash from health organizations and bipartisan senators who argue that it lacks essential safety disclosures typically required for pharmaceutical advertisements. Senators Dick Durbin and Roger Marshall have expressed concerns that the ad misleads viewers by not adequately disclosing potential side effects or risks associated with the promoted drugs. Hims & Hers has defended the ad, claiming it addresses systemic issues in health care while offering accessible alternatives. Critics worry that without proper disclosures, the ad could endanger patients by promoting compounded medications that have not undergone traditional safety evaluations.